By Oyintari Ben
Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, unexpectedly visited the UK on Wednesday.
He arrived in London as part of an unannounced diplomatic tour of European countries with a strong message for British MPs.
Zelensky presented a speech to the joint houses of the British Parliament on his second overseas trip since the Russian invasion of Ukraine about a year ago. The speech skillfully caressed the national ego while making a straightforward appeal for more heavy weapons, especially fighter jets.
He stated, “London has supported Kyiv from day one”. “Since the early moments and seconds of the major conflict. Great Britain, you offered assistance while the rest of the world was still trying to figure out how to respond.
Zelensky gave the House of Commons Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, the helmet of a Ukrainian fighter pilot in a moving yet well-executed gesture, inscribed with the words: “We have freedom. Give us wings so we can defend it.
He expressed gratitude to “Rishi,” the British leader, for announcing earlier that the UK will start training Ukrainian pilots on NATO fighter jets.
At a time when Kyiv is pleading with the West to provide more military aid and weapons to thwart Russian advances, Zelensky landed in Britain.
Zelensky arrived in a UK Royal Air Force C-17 transport plane and was met by Sunak at Stansted Airport, north of London. Sunak shared a photo of the pair sharing an embrace on the runway.
“We’ve all been worried about you and thinking about your country for so long, and I can’t tell you,” King Charles III told Zelensky when they met at Buckingham Palace later.
“I am grateful to His Majesty for the warm welcome and for supporting Ukrainian citizens who have sought refuge from the war in the United Kingdom,” Zelensky said.
The fact that I am the first Ukrainian president to receive an audience from the British monarch in the history of Ukrainian-British ties is an honour, he added.
