War against Ukraine: Rishi Sunak vows 'support' for Volodymyr Zelensky as leaders share warm embrace in meeting at Chequers

Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit comes after a weekend trip to Paris

The UK will become part of a “jets coalition” to boost Ukrainian fighter combat aircraft capability, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed, as he hosted Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at Chequers on a visit to the UK.

Britain is also to provide Ukraine with air defence missiles and attack drones, Downing Street confirmed, as Mr Zelensky held talks with the UK leader he described as “my friend Rishi”.

The defence commitment sparked criticism from Russia, which said Britain “aspires to be at the forefront” of countries offering military support to Ukraine. Russian state TV made veiled threats over nuclear retaliation in response to the move.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak greets Volodymyr Zelensky (Photo: Twitter/Rishi Sunak)

In its daily update, the UK Ministry of Defence said Russian leaders "will be concerned” that air defences continue to be compromised, after confirming several drones had struck Seshcha air base – 90 miles north of the Ukrainian border – earlier this month.

Mr Sunak and Mr Zelensky said the pair had discussed the possibility of training Ukrainian pilots to use Western fighter jets, which the Ukrainian president said was “very important” for his country.

The Prime Minister said the provision of warplanes was "not straightforward", but added Britain would play a "key part" in a coalition of countries giving that support to the war-torn nation.

Speaking after his meeting with Mr Zelensky at Chequers, Mr Sunak said: "It is not a straightforward thing as Volodymyr and I have been discussing, to build up that fighter combat aircraft capability. It's not just the provision of planes, it’s also the training of pilots and all the logistics that go alongside that and the UK can play a big part in that.”

Prime minister Rishi Sunak shakes hands with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as he greets him on his arrival at Chequers.

On his arrival in the UK on Monday morning, Mr Zelensky tweeted “the UK is a leader when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air”. He added: “I will meet my friend Rishi. We will conduct substantive negotiations face-to-face and in delegations.”

His warm description of his relationship with Mr Sunak follows on from the close friendship the Ukrainian leader enjoyed with former prime minister Boris Johnson, who was one of the first world leaders to visit Kyiv after the invasion began in February last year.

Mr Zelensky has previously lauded his “special bond” with Mr Johnson, who was revered within Ukraine for his support of the country. He said earlier this year he had become friends with Mr Johnson before the war, adding his relationship with Mr Sunak was different due to the wartime nature of their connection.

The Ukrainian town of Fontanka, near Odesa, said last year it planned to name a street after the former prime minister, due to his support during the early days of the conflict.

During their visit, Mr Sunak praised Mr Zelensky, who is the first world leader Mr Sunak has hosted at his country residence. At Chequers, Mr Sunak told the Ukrainian leader the room in which they were standing had hosted many of former prime minister Winston Churchill's "famous speeches" during the Second World War.

The Prime Minister said "in the same way" as Mr Churchill, the "bravery and fortitude" of Mr Zelensky and Ukraine was "an inspiration to us all".

Following his talks with Mr Sunak, Mr Zelensky said: "Today we spoke about the jets. [It’s] very important topic for us because we can't control the sky." He said Ukraine and the UK were "real partners", with Mr Sunak knowing details of developments on the battlefield.

Mr Zelensky’s visit follows a trip to Paris at the weekend, where he met French leader Emmanuel Macron and comes three months after his first trip to London since the start of the war, when the Ukrainian leader attended an audience with the King and addressed Parliament in February.

The latest package of military assistance, which will be delivered over the coming months, includes hundreds of air defence missiles and further unmanned aerial systems, including long-range attack drones with a range of more than 124 miles. The UK has also recently promised long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Kyiv after continued Russian attacks.

The meeting between the two leaders comes at the start of a week of intense diplomatic activity on the Ukraine crisis.

Mr Sunak is to attend a Council of Europe summit in Iceland, with Mr Zelensky joining virtually, before heading to Japan for the G7 gathering in Hiroshima.

A Downing Street spokesman said the Prime Minister had promised the president he would use the engagements later in the week "to stress the importance of sustaining global support for Ukraine at this pivotal time".

The Kremlin criticised the latest announcement of military aid for Ukraine, but claimed the weapons would make little difference on the battlefield.

"Britain aspires to be at the forefront among countries that continue to pump weapons into Ukraine," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "We repeat once again, it cannot yield any drastic and fundamental influence on the way the special military operation is unfolding."

Russian state TV anchor Dmitry Kiselyov, who has previously threatened Britain with nuclear annihilation, claimed the UK Government was “whipping up a world war”. He warned: "At the end of the day, you live on a small and very vulnerable island.”

Mr Zelensky’s visit comes amid further turmoil in the region as speculation continues over the health of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. Former Soviet republic Moldova separately pulled out of a key Russian alliance, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), following in the footsteps of Ukraine, which left in 2014. CIS is a regional organisation formed by former federal republics of the Soviet Union.

Igor Grosu, president of the Moldovan Parliament, said: “The Republic of Moldova is a free country to make sovereign decisions. We demonstrated that we want democracy, freedom at home.”

Mr Lukashenko, who is a key ally of Vladimir Putin, is believed to be ill in hospital. No details have been given of his condition.