During his visit to London on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and gave a speech to parliament. Hoping for Western fighter jets, he thanked Britain for supplying fighter jets even before making a commitment: “Thank you in advance – for powerful English aircraft,” he said in Westminster Hall.
Zelenskyy again pushed for the provision of modern fighter jets – to underline this he presented the Speaker of the British House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, with a Ukrainian fighter pilot’s helmet inscribed: “We have freedom. Give us wings to protect them .” He therefore asks for “fighters for Ukraine – wings for freedom,” the Ukrainian president said.
In his speech, Selenskyj also thanked Britain for its previous support in the fight against the Russian offensive war. “London has been on Kiev’s side from day one,” the Ukrainian president said. He added that the country united all allies when it seemed absolutely impossible. He also explicitly thanked former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had traveled to Ukraine several times and had become a close partner of Zelenskyy.
Meeting with Scholz in Paris
The trip had previously been kept top secret and was not made public until Wednesday morning. “President Zelenskyy’s visit is a testament to his country’s courage, determination and fighting spirit and a testament to the unwavering friendship between our two countries,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. Zelenskyj also received an audience with King Charles III. at Buckingham Palace. After his visit to Great Britain, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Paris on Wednesday evening. There, Selenskyj will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to Downing Street, Zelenskyy will visit Ukrainian soldiers being trained by the British army on Wednesday. On the occasion of the visit, London announced that it would expand its training program for Ukrainian soldiers. About 10,000 Ukrainians have received military training in Britain in the past six months, with another 20,000 expected to follow this year. According to Prime Minister Sunak, fighter pilots and marines will also be trained in the future.
Zelenskyy’s first and only publicly known trip abroad after the start of the Russian offensive war took the president to Washington shortly before Christmas. Along with the US and the EU, Britain is one of Ukraine’s main supporters in its defensive struggle against Russia. In particular, there was a close relationship between former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Zelenskyy. Sunak, who has headed the British government since October, has already traveled to Kiev, pledged battle tanks to Ukraine and pledged continued military support.
Brussels plans in jeopardy?
The Ukrainian president is then expected in Brussels on Thursday. The European Parliament had already said on Monday that there would probably be an extraordinary plenary session in the presence of the Ukrainian president. On the same day, the heads of state and government of the EU countries will meet in Brussels for a summit. Selenskyj had been invited to personally attend a summit, a spokesman for EU Council President Charles Michel said Monday evening. However, for security reasons, they wanted to keep the visit and that to Washington a secret until the end.
However, MEPs leaked the president’s travel plans on Twitter – apparently in advance. A related tweet from the European People’s Party was quickly removed. According to a report from the news portal “Politico”, the latest developments have now led to possible changes.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
