Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, is travelling to the UK in the present day for the primary time since Russia’s invasion started. He’ll deal with parliament and meet Rishi Sunak at Downing Road.
That is solely Zelensky’s second go to exterior his nation since Russia invaded Ukraine virtually a yr in the past, following his go to to Washington DC in December.
The prime minister is anticipated to make use of the chance to announce that Britain will ship Ukraine longer-range weapons. Mr Sunak can be anticipated to unveil an expanded coaching programme for Ukrainian troops, together with coaching Ukrainians to turn into fighter pilots.
The go to will seemingly frustrate Russia’s Vladimir Putin, with the Kremlin upping its navy rhetoric in latest weeks.
Firearms licensing is in disaster, BASC tells Parliamentary Committee inquiry
BASC’s scholarship programme open for 2023 functions
Moscow has warned in opposition to supplying fighter jets to Ukraine, arguing it might be a transparent indication of direct Western involvement within the struggle.
Commenting on Mr Zelensky’s shock journey, the prime minister hailed the Ukrainian President’s “braveness”. “President Zelensky’s go to to the UK is a testomony to his nation’s braveness, dedication and combat, and a testomony to the unbreakable friendship between our two international locations”, Mr Sunak mentioned in a press release forward of the go to.
He added: “Since 2014, the UK has offered very important coaching to Ukrainian forces, permitting them to defend their nation, defend their sovereignty and combat for his or her territory.
“I’m proud that in the present day we’ll broaden that coaching from troopers to marines and fighter jet pilots, guaranteeing Ukraine has a navy in a position to defend its pursuits nicely into the long run. It additionally underlines our dedication to not simply present navy gear for the quick time period, however a long-term pledge to face shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine for years to return”.
Throughout the go to, Mr Zelensky will watch his nation’s troops being educated by British armed forces, with Mr Sunak saying that Britain will start coaching Ukrainian marines.
That coaching might be along with the prevailing programme which has seen 10,000 Ukrainian troops educated for battle within the final six months.
It comes as US president Joe Biden promised that america would assist Ukraine for so long as it takes to combat off the Russian invasion.
“We’re going to face with you, so long as it takes. Our nation is working for extra freedom, extra dignity, extra peace – not simply in Europe, however in every single place”, Mr Biden mentioned, addressing Ukraine’s ambassador to Washington, Oksana Markarova, who was in attendance on the president’s State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.
