Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting the UK to meet prime minister Rishi Sunak.

In a tweet, he said he would meet his "friend" Mr Sunak to hold "substantive negotiations".

The UK announced on Thursday that it would supply Ukraine with long-range missiles to fight the Russian invasion.

Mr Zelensky has been meeting Western leaders in recent days seeking to bolster support for Ukraine.

"The UK is a leader when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air. This cooperation will continue today," he said on Twitter.

No 10 said Mr Sunak would reiterate the importance of providing a full package of support to Ukraine.

"We must not let them [Ukraine] down," the prime minister said, adding it was "a crucial moment" in Ukraine's war effort.

"The front lines of Putin's war of aggression may be in Ukraine but the fault lines stretch all over the world. It is in all our interest to ensure Ukraine succeeds and Putin's barbarism is not rewarded."

Those in government have characterised the visit as a courtesy and a catch-up, rather than a negotiation, the BBC has been told, with one source adding "there's always business to be done".

It is expected that the meeting between the two leaders will not last more than a couple of hours.

Mr Zelensky's trip to the UK will be the fourth stop on a European tour that included meetings in Paris, Berlin and Rome.

In February, he visited London for the first time since the start of the war during which he attended an audience with the King and addressed Parliament.

Source: BBC

BDST: 1304 HRS, MAY 15, 2023
SMS