Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski stressed Wednesday from the UK Parliament that «London has stood by Kiev from the first day» of the Russian invasion and thanked the British authorities for their help «when the world still did not know how to react».
Zelenski, who stressed that he speaks «on behalf of all the fathers and mothers waiting for their brave sons and daughters back from the front line,» said that the British government supported Ukraine «from the first seconds and minutes» of the war.
Thus, he extolled that former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson «got others to come together when it seemed absolutely impossible,» before adding that the UK «marches» alongside Ukraine «towards the most important victory of our lives, the victory of the very idea of war.»
The Ukrainian leader said Ukraine and its allies have created «a real coalition of friends» that has achieved «remarkable» results and called for new sanctions against Moscow. «The world needs the UK’s leadership just as it needs Ukraine’s courage,» he explained.
In this line, he applauded the decision of the British government to deliver battle tanks to Kiev and thanked the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, for what he described as «a powerful step in defense», as reported by the British newspaper ‘The Guardian’.
Zelenski has also requested the delivery of long-range missiles to achieve «the total withdrawal of evil» from Ukraine and has confirmed that he will meet in the coming hours with Charles III. «In the UK, the king is an air force pilot. In Ukraine today, every Air Force pilot is a king,» he concluded.
«Freedom will win,» Zelensky said amid applause from British parliamentarians, the BBC reported. «We know Russia will lose. We will always be above evil. This is at the heart of our, and also your, traditions,» he said.
Finally, he presented the speaker of the UK House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, with a Ukrainian pilot’s helmet on which is written the message: ‘We have freedom, give us wings to protect it’, in reference to Kiev’s request for the delivery of fighter jets to repel the Russian offensive. Zelensky has expressed his wish that this symbol «will help in the upcoming coalition of aircraft, wings for freedom».
«I am leaving Parliament today giving thanks in advance for the mighty British planes,» he stressed, sparking laughter and applause among those present. «God bless the king. Slava Ukraini (Glory to Ukraine),» Zelenski remarked.
Earlier, Zelenski had thanked Sunak during their meeting for London’s announcement on expanding its support for Kiev, including the inclusion of military aircraft pilots and marines in its training programs. «Thank you for your effort to strengthen Ukraine’s defensive capabilities and for the humanitarian and financial aid delivered after the onset of large-scale aggression (by Russia),» he had said.
In this way, he has also expressed to the ‘premier’ his gratitude for the support of the United Kingdom to «Ukrainians who were forced to flee their homes because of the Russian war», while he has communicated to Sunak the needs of Kiev at military level to face the offensive, as indicated by the Ukrainian Presidency through a statement published on its website.
Downing Street had indicated hours before that the ‘premier’ «will offer to increase the training offer to Ukrainian troops, including its expansion to fighter pilots, to ensure that Ukraine can defend its skies in the future». «The training will ensure that pilots can fly fighter jets under NATO standards,» he said.
Separately, the UK will likewise offer training programs for marines, a plan that will add to the recruit training program already underway, which has benefited nearly 10,000 Ukrainian military personnel over the past six months, as well as deliver «long-range capabilities» to Kiev, which would help Ukraine «disrupt Russia’s ability to continue to continuously attack civilian and critical infrastructure and help relieve pressure on the front lines.»
Zelensky had so far made only one foreign visit since the outbreak of the war. The Ukrainian president traveled on December 21 to the United States, where he met with U.S. President Joe Biden and gave a speech to Congress. On his return, he stopped in Poland for a meeting with his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, before arriving in Kiev.
Although there is no official confirmation so far, Zelenski is expected to travel to Brussels on Thursday, coinciding with a summit of heads of state and government of the EU-27, in what would be the first visit to Europe by the president since the beginning of the war, a few weeks before the first anniversary of the Russian aggression. European sources consulted by Europa Press claim «security reasons» to avoid a direct answer and explain that they can neither «confirm nor deny» the information.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
