President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the United Kingdom early on Wednesday for a surprise visit that will likely involve a stop at Buckingham Palace to meet with King Charles III.
The 45-year-old leader was received on the tarmac of London Stansted airport by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after arriving on a Royal Air Force plane for only his second journey out of Ukraine in nearly a year of fighting.
“Welcome to the United Kingdom, President @ZelenskyyUa,” tweeted Sunak beside an image of the two leaders embracing.
He included the hashtag #SlavaUkraini, which means “glory to Ukraine,” along with images of the flags of each country.
Zelensky also uploaded emojis of both flags alongside a second photo of himself in traditional military garb being met by Sunak in a sharply tailored suit.
“The United Kingdom was among the first to assist Ukraine. “I am in London today to personally thank the British people for their support and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his leadership,” he wrote.
Later, Zelensky was photographed with the British Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street. He will also reportedly address Parliament and meet with King Charles III, according to UK sources.
This meeting will take place this afternoon at Buckingham Palace, according to The Telegraph, which added that royal family members had been “vocal supporters” of Ukraine’s struggle throughout the war.
According to Sunak’s office, Zelensky will meet with British military authorities and see Ukrainian troops training in Britain.
Sunak stated that the visit was “evidence of his country’s courage, determination, and fight, as well as the unbreakable friendship between our two nations.”
The visit was the Ukrainian leader’s first to the United Kingdom since the Russian invasion in late February of last year, and only his second journey abroad since then, following a trip to Washington, D.C. in late December.
Zelensky had, however, remotely addressed Britain’s Parliament in March, two weeks after the beginning of the invasion, when he famously paraphrased World War II leader Winston Churchill’s famous “never surrender” speech and vowed that Ukrainians “would fight till the finish on land, sea, and in the air. We will continue to defend our land regardless of the cost.”
The United Kingdom is one of Ukraine’s largest military supporters and has sent at least $2.5 billion in weaponry and equipment.
Sunak also announced that the United Kingdom will train Ukrainian pilots on “fighter jets meeting NATO standards.” Additionally, more than 10,000 Ukrainian troops have been trained at British locations, including some on the Challenger 2 tanks that the United Kingdom is delivering.
“I am proud that today we will expand this training to include marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring that Ukraine’s military will be able to defend its interests for generations to come,” Sunak said.
It also reaffirms our long-term commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine for many years, as opposed to merely providing military assets in the short term.
There is a growing likelihood that he will travel next to Brussels, where European Union leaders will convene on Thursday for a summit, allowing him to meet with all main leaders of the 27-nation union on the same day.
The EU legislature has scheduled a special plenary session for Thursday in Brussels in the hopes that Zelensky will attend.
The London visit occurred as Russian soldiers bombarded eastern Ukraine with increased artillery fire, according to Ukrainian officials. Kyiv authorities believe this is part of a new push by the Kremlin’s forces before the anniversary of the invasion on February 24.
Tuesday, Ukraine’s national security commander Oleksiy Danilov stated, “By this date, they must have something to show their people and a strong desire to do something significant.”
A 74-year-old woman was killed and a 16-year-old girl was injured in the border town of Vovchansk, according to the local governor, Oleh Syniehubov. Russian forces began significant shelling attacks on villages along the front line in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region the day before.
Ukraine believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin desires total control of the Donbas, a vast industrial region bordering Russia, in order to achieve a significant military victory after months of failures.
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