Rishi Sunak warmly embraced ‘inspirational’ Volodymyr Zelensky today as they held talks at the PM’s country residence.
The two leaders greeted each other with a hug after the Ukraine president landed in Chinook helicopters.
Mr Sunak pointed out Mr Zelensky was the first world leader he had entertained at Chequers, suggesting it will be a ‘crucial’ week in the struggle against Russia.
Mr Sunak announced that the UK will provide air defence missiles and drones, and is set to push for more international support for Kyiv when he attends the G7 gathering in Japan and Council of Europe in Reykjavik later this week.
Last week it emerged the UK had become the first country to provide long-range precision missiles to Ukraine.
The Storm Shadow cruise missiles, accurate to beyond 150 miles, are expected to be at the heart of the much anticipated counter-offensive against Russian occupiers.
But the prospect of the UK supplying fights jet has effectively disappeared, despite Mr Zelensky visiting in February and presenting the Commons Speaker with a pilot’s helmet.
Instead the RAF will help train Ukraine forces on using Western jets, with No10 insisting Kyiv has ‘decided’ to focus on F-16s – which Britain does not use.
Mr Zelensky said his people were grateful ‘from our hearts’ for the support the UK had provided.
The two leaders greeted each other with a hug after the Ukraine president landed in Chinook helicopters
Mr Sunak pointed out he was the first world leader he had entertained at Chequers, suggesting it will be a ‘crucial’ week in the struggle against Russia
Mr Sunak tweeted a picture of them meeting with the message ‘welcome back’
Volodymyr Zelensky has jetted in to the UK to meet Rishi Sunak ahead of a ‘crucial’ week in the struggle against Russia
Mr Zelensky revealed he was visiting London in a message on Twitter this morning
Mr Zelensky was in Paris for talks with Emmanuel Macron yesterday following a summit with EU commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, Poland’s PM Mateusz Morawiecki and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Aachen over the weekend.
Mr Sunak said today: ‘You are actually the first foreign leader I have had the privilege of welcoming here as Prime Minister and there’s a lot of great history here.
‘In fact this room that we are standing in, Winston Churchill made many of his famous speeches in World War Two from this room.
‘And the same way today, your leadership, your country’s bravery and fortitude are an inspiration to us all.’
Mr Zelensky said he discussed western fighter jets with Mr Sunak and that he was anticipating ‘very important decisions’ being made soon.
He said: ‘Today we spoke about the jets. Very important topic for us because we can’t control the sky.’
He stressed that Ukraine and the UK were ‘real partners,’ with Mr Sunak knowing details of developments on the battlefield.
‘We want to create this jets coalition and I’m very positive with it.
‘We spoke about it and I see that in the closest time you will hear some, I think very important decisions but we have to work a little bit more on it.’
Mr Sunak vowed to send a ‘message of solidarity’ as Ukraine tries to kick out Vladimir Putin’s invading forces, saying it is in ‘all our interests’ that Mr Zelensky succeeds.
He said the talks covered the ‘security arrangements we should put in place among allied countries for Ukraine for the long term to ensure it can defend itself and provide effective deterrence against future Russian aggression’.
Mr Zelensky said he discussed western fighter jets with Rishi Sunak in their talks at Chequers and that he was anticipating ‘very important decisions’ to be made soon.
He said: ‘Today we spoke about the jets. Very important topic for us because we can’t control the sky.’
He said Ukraine and the UK were ‘real partners,’ with Mr Sunak knowing details of developments on the battlefield.
‘We want to create this jets coalition and I’m very positive with it.
‘We spoke about it and I see that in the closest time you will hear some, I think very important decisions but we have to work a little bit more on it.’
The UK confirmed today that it will supply hundreds of air defence missiles and new long-range attack drones with a range of over 125 miles.
Mr Zelensky last came to the UK in February, when he addressed both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall.
He will be the first world leader hosted by Mr Sunak at Chequers.
Mr Zelensky tweeted: ‘Today – London. The UK is a leader when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air.
‘This cooperation will continue today. I will meet my friend Rishi. We will conduct substantive negotiations face-to-face and in delegations.’
Mr Sunak said the UK will be ‘sustaining our support’ for Ukraine.
The PM said: ‘This is a crucial moment in Ukraine’s resistance to a terrible war of aggression they did not choose or provoke.
‘They need the sustained support of the international community to defend against the barrage of unrelenting and indiscriminate attacks that have been their daily reality for over a year.
‘We must not let them down.
‘The frontlines of Putin’s war of aggression may be in Ukraine but the fault lines stretch all over the world. It is in all our interest to ensure Ukraine succeeds and (Vladimir) Putin’s barbarism is not rewarded.
‘That is why the UK is sustaining our support to Ukraine – from tanks to training, ammunition to armoured vehicles. And this message of solidarity will ring loud in all my meetings with fellow world leaders in the days ahead.’
Mr Zelensky met Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris yesterday
