Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he will arrive in London on Monday for a series of "substantive" talks with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. This surprise visit follows a meeting between the Ukrainian leader and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Sunday night.
Zelensky's trip to the UK is his first since the start of Russia's invasion, having previously held talks in Paris, Berlin, and Rome. In addition to his discussions with Sunak, Zelensky is expected to attend an audience with King Charles III and address Parliament during his visit.
The two leaders are anticipated to discuss strategies to increase collective pressure on Russia through new sanctions aimed at weakening Moscow's ability to wage its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. France has already pledged continued political, financial, humanitarian, and military support for as long as necessary while supporting efforts to curtail circumvention of sanctions against Russia.
Prime Minister Sunak expressed gratitude for Ukraine's resilience amid adversity: "The United Kingdom stands firmly beside our friends in Ukraine as they bravely defend their sovereignty," said Sunak. The UK recently made headlines by becoming the first country to provide long-range precision missiles directly aiding Ukraine's counter-offensive operations against Russian occupiers.
President Zelenskyy praised the strong cooperation between Ukraine and the UK: "The United Kingdom is a leader in providing essential support that helps expand our ground and air military capabilities," said Zelenskyy. He added that this critical partnership would continue growing during his ongoing discussions with British officials during this latest round of negotiations.
This surprise announcement marks another milestone moment in international diplomacy surrounding escalating tensions due specifically Russian hostilities towards its neighbor – all eyes remain focused upon developments within these crucial meetings as global powers seek solutions to ongoing crisis situations throughout region at large.