Give us fighter jets to secure our freedom, Zelensky tells UK

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the UK to provide his country with fighter jets in a parliamentary address at Westminster Hall

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed MPs and peers at Westminster Hall on Wednesday
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed MPs and peers at Westminster Hall on Wednesday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the UK to provide his country with fighter jets.

He was addressing Parliament during his first UK visit since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

His call comes as the UK announced it will begin training Ukrainian forces to fly Nato-standard fighter jets.

Zelensky concluded his speech with the hope that he would soon be thanking the UK for providing planes.

Later, Downing Street said that PM Sunak has asked the defence secretary to investigate what jets the UK could potentially give to Ukraine, but emphasised it was "a long-term solution".

Addressing a huge crowd of MPs and peers at Westminster Hall, Zelensky said: "Freedom will win - we know Russia will lose," adding the UK was with his country on a march to "the most important victory of our lifetime".

Thanking the UK for its "grit", he said the country, through its support of Ukraine, had not compromised the "spirit and ideals of these great islands".

He also singled out Boris Johnson for praise saying the former prime minister had united others "when it seemed impossible".

The Ukrainian leader gave the House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle the helmet of a Ukrainian pilot. The writing on the helmet reads: "We have freedom, give us wings to protect it."

Reflecting on his last visit to the UK, he recalled thanking his hosts "for delicious English tea". "I will be leaving Parliament today, thanking you all in advance for powerful English planes."

Former PM Boris Johnson echoed his calls in a statement saying: "It is time to give the Ukrainians the extra equipment they need to defeat Putin and to restore peace to Ukraine. That means longer range missiles and artillery, it means more tanks, it means planes."

As the first anniversary of Russia's invasion approaches, the UK has announced that its training of Ukrainian forces will be expanded to cover marines, as well as Nato-standard fighter jet pilots.

Western countries have been considering how to bolster support for Ukraine, with the country braced for a renewed Russian offensive later this month.

The expansion of the UK's training programme signals a shift, after the UK said it was "not practical" for it to send its aircraft to Ukraine.

Before speaking to Parliament, President Zelensky held talks with Mr Sunak in Downing Street, and has met King Charles.

On Wednesday afternoon he joined the prime minister on a visit to the south-west where Ukrainian troops are training to use Challenger 2 tanks.

The two men signed the London Declaration - a statement affirming the UK-Ukraine partnership - before holding a joint press conference.