LONDON — President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine will visit Britain on Monday, the latest stop in what has become a trip around the European capitals as he tries to build military support for Ukraine’s planned counterattack against Russia.
Mr Zelensky announced the London stopover in a Twitter post in which he said he would “conduct substantive negotiations” with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whom he called “my Rishi friend”. “.
The British government confirmed last week that it will begin supplying Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles, continuing its policy of pioneering the supply of heavy weapons to the Ukrainian army to counter Russian forces. .
According to British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, the missiles are called Storm Shadow and have a range of more than 155 miles, which will “allow Ukraine to repel Russian forces stationed on Ukraine’s sovereign territory”.
Zelensky’s visit comes after he toured Italy, Germany and France over the weekend, meeting with Pope Francis and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, Prime Minister Olaf Scholz in Berlin and President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Mr Zelensky’s visit comes just before European leaders hold a summit this week in Reykjavik, Iceland. At the end of the week, the leaders will reconvene in Japan for the Group of Seven meeting, where the war is likely to feature prominently in discussions.
I. Zelensky’s last arrival England in February, gave an emotional speech at Westminster Hall, where he pleaded with NATO countries to provide fighter jets to Ukraine. Mr. Sunak has said that fighter jets are being considered, but has yet to take that step.
