Zelensky makes strong appeal for british fighter jets

Zelensky makes strong appeal for british fighter jets

In a surprise visit to London, Ukraine’s President thanked U.K. for its support and said, ‘freedom will win, Russia will lose’; Britain announced it would train Kyiv’s troops to fly NATO fighter jets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in London on a surprise visit, days before the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Zelensky made a strong pitch for Western — specifically, British — fighter jets on Wednesday. The U.K. announced that it would train Ukrainian troops to fly NATO-fighter jets. In a joint press conference with Mr. Zelensky, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that “nothing is off the table” in terms of military aid for Ukraine. He said fighter jets for Ukraine were “part of the conversation”.

“I’m happy to be here,” Mr. Zelensky said outside No.10 Downing Street. This is only Mr. Zelensky’s third visit abroad (he has visited the U.S. and Poland) since the invasion began. He was accompanied by Mr. Sunak who had met him on arrival at the Stansted Airport. The two men held talks, following which Mr. Zelensky addressed both Houses of the U.K. Parliament.

Addressing lawmakers, Mr. Zelensky thanked Britain for its support, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson who was in the audience. Former British Prime Ministers Liz Truss, Teresa May, who are MPs, were also present.

Mr. Zelensky also had a meeting with British monarch King Charles III in the afternoon.

Challenger 2 tanks

He is also scheduled to visit an Army training site in Dorset later on Wednesday, along with Mr. Sunak. The U.K. has trained 10,000 Ukrainian troops in the last six months, as per government estimates.

Ukrainian troops are currently being trained to use Challenger 2 tanks, 14 of which London recently committed to provide Kyiv. On Wednesday, Downing Street announced that training would be expanded to include fighter jet pilots and marines.

Training soldiers

Significantly, the training will include preparing soldiers to fly NATO-fighter jets, though NATO has not yet provided these jets to Ukraine, partly out of concerns that it could exacerbate the conflict with Russia. Kyiv had asked for longer-range artillery, which the U.S. recently agreed to provide. It had also asked for Western fighter jets, especially American F-16s, a demand U.S. President Joe Biden has not acquiesced to.

Earlier, Mr. Sunak’s spokesperson had said that it was not “practical” right now to send Typhoon and F35 jets to Kyiv and that these jets were “extremely sophisticated” and required months of pilot training. However, Mr. Zelensky reiterated his request for aircraft to the Houses of Parliament.

“…Combat aircraft for Ukraine, wings for freedom,” he said and presented a fighter pilot’s helmet to the House of Commons Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, with the words ‘We have freedom, gives us wings to protect it’ inscribed on it.

“We know freedom will win,” Mr. Zelensky said, to applause. “We know Russia will loose,” he added.

The U.K. government announced fresh sanctions on entities and individuals providing Russia with military equipment or connected to financial networks linked to “Kremlin elites” to coincide with Mr. Zelensky’s visit.