Zelensky coming to Britain today
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will arrive in Great Britain today to meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and address the British Parliament.
This is reported on the website of the British government, Ukrinform reports.
The leaders will discuss a two-pronged approach to Britain's support for Ukraine, starting with the immediate delivery of military equipment to the country to counter a possible Russian spring offensive, and expanding long-term support.
Sunak will also offer the UK’s backing to President Zelensky’s plans to work towards a “just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
“President Zelenskyy’s visit to the UK is a testament to his country’s courage, determination and fight, and a testament to the unbreakable friendship between our two countries," Sunak said.
As part of today’s talks, the British PM will offer to bolster the UK’s training offer for Ukrainian troops, including expanding it to fighter jet pilots to ensure Ukraine can defend its skies well into the future.
The training will ensure pilots are able to fly sophisticated NATO-standard fighter jets in the future. As part of that long-term capability investment, the UK will work with Ukraine and international allies to coordinate collective support to meet Ukraine’s defensive needs.
He will also offer to begin an immediate training programme for marines.
That training will be in addition to the recruit training programme already running in the UK, which has seen 10,000 Ukrainian troops brought to battle readiness in the last six months, and which will upskill a further 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers this year. The UK will continue to work with the Ukrainian Armed Forces and international community to scale the programme up in 2023.
The Prime Minister will also offer to provide Ukraine with longer range capabilities. This will disrupt Russia’s ability to continually target Ukraine’s civilian and critical national infrastructure and help relieve pressure on Ukraine’s frontlines, the statement said.
The President and his team will also meet defence and security chiefs, including the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of the Air Staff, to discuss the details of the training programme.
"I am proud that today we will expand that training from soldiers to marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring Ukraine has a military able to defend its interests well into the future. It also underlines our commitment to not just provide military equipment for the short term, but a long-term pledge to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine for years to come," Sunak emphasized.
This is Zelenskyi's first visit to Great Britain after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year.