Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has visited the UK for the first time since the beginning of the Russian conflict, the invasion starting almost a year ago. The visit was not anticipated, and consisted of meetings inside Downing Street and a public address to MPs and peers - a press conference with the Ukrainian leader and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, signing of the London Declaration, solidifying the support between the UK and Ukraine.
Zelensky has thanked the UK and acknowledged the country as an ally to “the most important victory of our lifetime”. He has praised Boris Johnson in uniting people and has offered the House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle the helmet of a Ukrainian pilot, which read: “We have freedom, give us wings to protect it.” This seems foreshadowing of further conversations throughout the visit, the main focus on acquiring fighter jets for the Ukrainian troops.
Sunak has made multiple statements regarding the UK’s support to the Ukrainian efforts, and Zelensky has confirmed that negotiations concerning defence are being finalised.
The media raised some relevant questions. One reporter enquired whether Sunak can clarify the UK will provide fighter jets to Ukrainian troops. Sunak has said that the UK is “been very clear when it comes to the provision of military assistance to Ukraine and nothing is off the table”.
Another reporter questioned London’s involvement in laundering Russian money, to which the PM responded by claiming that the UK put in place “probably the most extensive and forward leaning sanctions of any country” surrounding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. This came after the UK has released a new round of sanctions on Russia and its financial networks on the 8th of February.
At the beginning of Zelensky’s visit, the UK made a commitment to training Ukrainian pilots. Although Zelensky asked for jets rather than training, the PM has stated that the RAF’s Typhoon Jets could have their own complications, as they are “sophisticated pieces of kit”. The RAF struggles with training its own pilots, and Sunak has admitted that the fast jets would be a long-term solution, rather than an immediate fill, as they would require up to “three years” of training. Zelensky has mentioned that Ukraine is running out of supplies and worried about a possible “stagnation” in the fight against Russia if the country does not receive jets or longer-range missiles. Around 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers are undertaking military training in the UK. Those arrived recently are being trained to use the Challenger 2 tanks. Sunak seems confident that the tanks could be rolled out in weeks It remains to be seen whether Sunak will help the UK deliver the supplies that Ukraine needs. In the meantime, Zelensky will meet other EU leaders and push for military assistance - and even a possible EU membership for the Ukrainian state.