Sunak pledges long-term support for Ukraine, tells Russia ‘we are not going away’

Pledging long-term support for Ukraine, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday said the UK will remain steadfast in supporting Kyiv and its people to defend itself.

Sunak said the war was at a “pivotal moment”.

He also said: “The UK will remain steadfast in supporting Ukraine and its people to defend itself...it is important for the Kremlin to also know that we are not going away. We are here for the long term.”

Britain has promised Ukraine hundreds of more missiles and attack drones after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the European country on Monday.

Zelenskyy thanked UK for its support so far, and said the war was a matter of “security not only for Ukraine, it is important for all of Europe.”

Sunak told Zelenskyy that “your leadership, your country’s bravery and fortitude are an inspiration to us all.”

“This is a crucial moment in Ukraine’s resistance to a terrible war of aggression they did not choose or provoke,” Sunak said. “They need the sustained support of the international community to defend against the barrage of unrelenting and indiscriminate attacks that have been their daily reality for over a year.”

Zelenskyy, on a European tour, landed by helicopter at Chequers, the British PM’s official country retreat, where he was greeted by Sunak with a handshake and a hug. It’s Zelenskyy’s second trip to the UK since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

To seek more aid, the Ukrainian president also visited France, Germany and Italy in the past few days. 

Zelenskyy said more work was needed to have allies build a “fighter jet coalition” to provide Ukraine with vital air defenses.

The Kremlin said it took London’s promise to supply Ukraine with more weapons “extremely negatively”, but at the same time believed the supplies wouldn't drastically change the course of the war, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

“Britain aspires to be at the forefront among countries that continue to pump weapons into Ukraine,” Peskov said. “We repeat once again, it cannot yield any drastic and fundamental influence on the way the special military operation (in Ukraine) is unfolding. But, definitely, it leads to further destruction, further action. ... It makes this whole story for Ukraine much more complicated.”

(With inputs from agencies)