Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the UK on the 8th (local time). This is the first time since the Russian invasion in February last year that President Zelensky has been abroad since visiting the United States at the end of last year.
According to the BBC, President Zelensky and the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, held a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s Residence at 10 Downing Street in London. Before this, when President Zelensky arrived at London Stansted Airport, Prime Minister Sunak met him personally and welcomed him.
After the summit, Zelensky addressed the British Parliament. Speaking in English, he said, “Britain has been with Ukraine since the first day (of the war),” adding, “I express my gratitude to Britain on behalf of the Ukrainians.” He then urged Britain to continue imposing sanctions to deprive Russia of its ability to finance the war.
President Zelensky also presented a pilot’s helmet to the Speaker of the British House, Lindsay Hoyle. The phrase ‘We have freedom, give us wings to protect it’ was written on the helmet. At the same time, he asked for fighter support from Britain.
President Zelensky then met with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. They will also meet Ukrainian soldiers who are being trained in the UK. The UK has trained 10,000 new recruits for the Ukrainian army in the past six months and plans to train another 20,000 this year.
According to the British Guardian, President Zelensky will briefly finish his schedule in the UK that day, and then head straight to Paris, France, where he will hold talks with the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the Chancellor of the Olaf Scholz’s Germany.
