Zelensky meets Sunak in London on his first visit to the UK since the outbreak of the war

Ukrainian President, Volodimir Zelenskyhas met in British Government offices meeting with the Prime Minister, the Conservative Rishi Sunak, within the framework of the first visit to the country since the start of the war unleashed by Russia against his country on February 24, 2022.

Zelesnki landed this Wednesday morning at London’s Stansted airport. Sunak has received him at the foot of the track and with a warm hug, how does he pick up video which heads this article. Immediately afterwards, both have mounted in their respective cars to go to Downing Street, residence of the British prime minister and meeting place of his cabinet. The meeting has been focused, as indicated in a Downing Street statement, on the negotiation of a increased “training offer to Ukrainian troopsincluding its expansion to fighter jet pilots, to ensure that Ukraine can defend its skies in the future,” Sunak said in an earlier statement.

“The training will guarantee that pilots can fly combat aircraft under NATO standards,” Sunak said in the statement, before noting that they will also offer training programs for Marines, a plan that will be added to the recruit training program. already underway, which has benefited nearly 10,000 Ukrainian servicemen over the past six months.

After the meeting, Zleenski addressed the media, where he expressed his gratitude to British society “for their great support from the beginning” of the invasion, as shown in the following video.

Sunak and Zelensky have discussed UK support for Ukraine, “starting with an immediate increase in the delivery of military equipment to the country to help counter a Russian spring offensive and bolster long-term support,” by time that the British prime minister will offer his support to the plan proposed by the president of Ukraine to achieve peace.

The British prime minister will also offer to provide kyiv with “long-range capabilities”, which would help Ukraine “disrupt Russia’s ability to continue to continuously attack civilian and critical infrastructure and help relieve pressure on the lines head on”.

After the meeting, they are expected to visit a military base in the north of England where the Ukrainian military is trained.

Within the agenda of the visit, Zelenski will also be received in audience by King Carlos III at Buckingham Palace in London.

The Ukrainian military, trained by the United Kingdom

The UK is one of Ukraine’s largest military financiers and has sent to the country more than 2.5 billion dollars in weapons and equipment.

The visit comes after Sunak announced that Britain will train Ukrainian pilots on “NATO-standard fighter jets.”

More than 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers have also been trained at UK bases, some on the Challenger 2 tanks Britain is sending.

“I am proud that today we are expanding training from soldiers to Marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring that Ukraine has a military capable of defending its interests in the future. This underscores our commitment not only to providing military equipment in the short term, but a long-term commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine for years to come,” Sunak explained.

New sanctions on Russia

Within the framework of the visit, Downing Stree took the opportunity to announce new sanctions against Russia.

It is about sanctioning six companies that provide military equipment and weapons to the Kremlin, and eight people whose relationship and loyalty to President Putin has helped them amass their fortunes, according to the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“These new sanctions accelerate the economic pressure on Putin, undermining his war machine and helping Ukraine to assert itself,” said Cleverly, Foreign Minister. With these new nations, there are already more than 1,300 people and companies that the United Kingdom has punished for their close ties to the Kremlin.