LONDON: Seeking to shore up support more than three years into Russia’s invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a surprise visit to London on Monday (Jun 23), cementing a military co-production deal.
Zelenskyy met with Starmer at his Downing Street home, after earlier visiting King Charles III at Windsor Castle.
The trip comes on the eve of a NATO summit in The Hague, which Zelenskyy is due to attend.
Addressing Ukrainian military personnel undergoing training in the UK, Starmer said the pair had had “an excellent bilateral meeting” and agreed an “industrial military co-production agreement”, which he called “a massive step forward in the contribution that we can continue to make”.
Zelenskyy, speaking beside Starmer, insisted the deal “will be very strong and will transform both nations”, although no details were released.
After the meeting, Starmer said it was “really a privilege, a pleasure” to welcome Zelenskyy, calling him “a regular now at Downing Street”.
Starmer told the Ukrainian troops it was “really humbling” to see their “level of professionalism, commitment and bravery”.
More than 50,000 troops have now been trained as part of the international partnership.
