UK promises Ukraine drones and missiles during Zelensky’s European tour

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday he would send drones and hundreds more missiles to Ukraine during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Britain as part of a European tour that seeks to win support for a counteroffensive against Russian forces.

On the eve of the meeting, at the Chekers residence, Sunak hugged Zelensky, who made his second visit to Britain since the Start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.

Zelensky thanked the UK for its support so far and said that the war was a matter of “the security not only of Ukraine, but of the whole of Europe”. Sunak told Zelensky that his “leadership, his country’s courage and perseverance are an inspiration to all”.

The UK is the fifth European country visited by Zelensky in the last three days, after Italy, the Vatican, Germany and France. The Kremlin has signalled that it views London’s pledge to send additional weapons to Kiev “very negatively”, but does not believe the supplies will drastically change the situation on the battlefield.

Earlier, Rishi Sunak’s office said that the British leader would on Monday confirm the delivery of hundreds of air defence missiles and unmanned aerial systems, including hundreds of new drones with a range of more than 200 kilometres.

“Today – London. The UK is a leader when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air”, Zelensky stated on Twitter.

“This is a crucial moment in Ukraine’s resistance against a terrible war,” Sunak said in a statement. “They need the continued support of the international community to defend themselves against the avalanche of relentless and indiscriminate attacks that have been their daily routine for more than a year.”

After the US, the UK is one of the biggest donors of military aid to Ukraine – giving $2.9 billion last year and pledging almost as much in 2023.

In January, Britain announced that it would send 14 of its main battle tanks to Ukraine, which has also been pledged by other countries, including the US and Germany.

The Ukrainian President visited Berlin, Rome and Paris at the weekend to meet European leaders as he seeks to win additional military and financial support for Ukraine.

Call on NATO to admit Ukraine to membership

The Ukrainian President on Monday renewed his call on NATO to take a “positive political decision” on Kiev’s membership bid at its July summit.

Western partners have given Ukraine weapons to fight the Russian invasion. But Kiev wants stronger security guarantees for the future and hopes to join the NATO military alliance, which is due to hold a summit in Vilnius in July.

“It is time to remove the biggest security uncertainty in Europe – that is, to confirm a positive political decision on Ukraine’s NATO membership,” he said in a video address at the democracy summit in Copenhagen, urging the alliance to make a decision in July./VOA/