Europe : International : News : The Hankyoreh

“We have freedom. Give me wings to defend my freedom.” On the 8th (local time), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited London, England, and presented a helmet used by a real Ukrainian pilot to the British Speaker of the House, Lindsey Hoyle, during a speech at Westminster Hall. In this process, I read the phrase written on the helmet myself. Ukraine’s request to support fighter jets, which are ‘wings to defend freedom’, was communicated to the British in the most understandable and profound way. The audience applauded loudly. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year, President Zelensky left his country and visited the UK for the second time, after the United States. He quoted former Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s speech on June 4, 1940, in a video speech held in the British House of Commons on March 8 last year, immediately after the war, which encouraged the people to fight without giving up even in face. desperate warfare in the early days of the Second World War It has left a strong impression. After his declaration of “never surrender”, the opinion of the international public changed dramatically, and full-scale support for Ukraine began. Earlier, when the West, such as Britain, the United States, and Germany, decided to provide Ukraine with main battle tanks at the end of January, President Zelensky immediately asked for support for fighter jets, such as F-16s and made in america In response, the United States and Germany showed reluctance, saying, “It is not up for discussion,” but the United Kingdom’s response on this day was very different. Before meeting with President Zelensky, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had announced that Britain would support the training of Ukrainian air force pilots. It was a move he had no choice but to interpret to mean that the possibility of future fighter support was not ruled out. After President Zelensky’s address to Congress, he asked Defense Secretary Ben Wallace to look for fighters that Britain could support. In a joint press conference with President Zelensky on the same day, Prime Minister Sunak confirmed that British support for training is the “first step to enable support for advanced aircraft.” Furthermore, when it comes to military aid to Ukraine, he directly hinted that he was leaving open the possibility of fighter jet support, saying, “There is nothing non-negotiable.” Prime Minister Sunak also made it clear that he would speed up military aid to Ukraine. “Not in years or months, but in the coming days or weeks, it will be[yr offer milwrol]on the front line,” he said. Ukrainian soldiers arrived in the UK last week to train on the British-sponsored main battle tank ‘Challenger 2’, and will return to Ukraine after training next month. Russia responded immediately. Russia’s state news agency said the British government had warned the move could have “military and political consequences in Europe and around the world”. President Zelensky announced in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Sunak that day that he would meet with European leaders in the evenings of the 8th and 9th to discuss pending issues such as ” long-range missiles.” “We are very grateful that the UK listened to us in the end, and we hope that other countries will listen to us when it comes to long-range missiles,” he said. President Zelensky will move to Paris to meet President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, before going to Brussels, Belgium, to attend the European Union (EU) summit on the 9th. The news agency said he also met with Italian Prime Minister Giorza Meloni. During his visit to London, President Zelensky became one of the few world leaders to give speeches in Westminster Hall, the old parliament building, following former French President Charles de Gaulle, the world-renowned human rights campaigner Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa, and former President of the United States Barack Obama. Prime Minister Sunak as well as former prime ministers such as Liz Truss, Boris Johnson and Theresa May were present at the speech. The audience applauded President Zelensky from the time he entered until the end of his speech. President Zelensky especially thanked former Prime Minister Johnson for his unwavering support for Ukraine, saying he “brought people together at a time that seemed absolutely, absolutely impossible.” President Zelensky later moved to Buckingham Palace to meet Charles III. Berlin / Reporter Noh Ji-won zone@hani.co.kr