Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held talks with Rishi Sunak before meeting the King and Ukrainian troops during a surprise visit to the UK.
He was greeted by the prime minister at Stansted Airport after landing just before 10.30am on Wednesday for his first visit to the UK since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year.
Both leaders travelled in a cavalcade to Downing Street where Mr Zelenskyy was greeted by clapping behind the doors of Number 10, a tradition usually reserved for new prime ministers.
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The Ukrainian leader thanked Mr Sunak for inviting him and said it was a “great honour” to be in the UK as he thanked Britain for “all your big support from the first days of the full-scale invasion”, adding he has “very good relations with Rishi”.
Mr Zelenskyy has only made one other trip out of Ukraine since the invasion started, when he went to the United States and stopped over in Poland on the way back just before Christmas.
He addressed MPs and peers in parliament where he called for the UK to send fighter jets to Ukraine, before meeting King Charles at Buckingham Palace ahead of meeting Ukrainian troops training in the UK.
Mr Zelenskyy and Mr Sunak discussed the UK’s support for Ukraine, with Mr Sunak promising an “immediate surge” of military equipment to the country by the UK.
Shortly after Mr Zelenskyy landed, the UK announced further Russian sanctions, including against six entities providing military equipment, such as drones, to Russia, and eight individuals and one entity connected to “nefarious financial networks” helping maintain “wealth and power amongst Kremlin elites”, the government said.
In December, Mr Sunak travelled to Kyiv for the first time since becoming prime minister in October where he pledged a £50 million package to boost Ukrainian air defence.
His predecessor, Boris Johnson, had a very close relationship with Mr Zelenskyy and was one of Ukraine’s most vocal backers.
Mr Zelenskyy arrived in London on an RAF plane on Wednesday morning
Fighter jet pilot training
Mr Zelenskyy will head to Paris after his UK visit where he will meet Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
There are expectations the Ukrainian leader might also make his first visit to European Union institutions since the war began, as leaders gather for a summit in Brussels on Thursday. However, this has not been confirmed.
On Wednesday, Mr Sunak offered to bolster the UK’s training for Ukrainian troops, including to fighter jet pilots so they can fly NATO-standard fighter jets, Number 10 said.
He also offered to begin an immediate training programme for marines.
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‘We have very good relations with Rishi’
The UK has already trained 10,000 Ukrainian troops over the past six months and is planning to train 20,000 more this year as part of an international effort to scale up training of Ukrainian troops.
Downing Street said Mr Sunak also offered to provide Ukraine with longer-range capabilities to “disrupt Russia’s ability to continually target Ukraine’s civilian and critical national infrastructure”.
Rishi Sunak visited Ukraine in November
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace visiting Ukrainian troops being trained in the UK last year
Mr Sunak said: “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.
“Since 2014, the UK has provided vital training to Ukrainian forces, allowing them to defend their country, protect their sovereignty and fight for their territory.
“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.”
