Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke in the British Parliament on Wednesday. He said that at this stage it is extremely important that Ukraine receives fighter jets from Western countries.
Zelenskyyy thanked the United Kingdom for its support, military assistance and sanctions against Russia and presented the Speaker of the House of Commons with a Ukrainian pilot’s helmet with the inscription: “We have freedom – give us wings to protect her”.
“I appeal to you and to the whole world with simple and at the same time the most important words – give fighter jets to Ukraine, wings for freedom,” Zelenskyyy said. He also said, “We know freedom will win, we know Russia will be defeated!”
Zelenskyyy noted that the supply of aircraft should be the next step for Ukraine’s Western allies. “Evil must be resisted because evil is directed against humanity,” Zelenskyyy said.
The President of Ukraine ended his speech in the British Parliament building with the words “God save the King. Glory to Ukraine!”
London was Zelenskyyy’s first stop on his current trip to Europe. Before speaking in the British Parliament, Zelenskyy met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and was later received by King Charles, who had visited several British organizations helping Ukrainians before his meeting with Zelenskyy .
The British monarch has called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a “brutal aggression”.
Rishi Sunak, after meeting Zelenskyyy, said his visit was a testament to “Ukraine’s courage, determination and struggle and…the undying friendship between our two countries”.
“I am proud that we are expanding the training of the Ukrainian army – from soldiers to marines and fighter pilots, providing Ukraine with an army capable of defending its interests in the future,” the British prime minister said.
On the eve of Zelenskyyy’s arrival, Sunak promised to start training Ukrainian pilots in NATO fighter jets in the UK, but London has yet to decide whether the UK will supply planes. hunting in Kiev.
“We hope to accept the first Ukrainian pilots for training in the spring. We want this to start as soon as possible,” Sunak said in a statement.
The UK has already trained 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers and plans to train another 20,000 within a year.
After wrapping up his visit to London, Zelenskyyy is due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris, and speak at the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday. The purpose of this trip is to convince Western countries to supply more weapons to Kiev and to discuss next steps for Ukraine to join NATO.
