Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy descended on the UK on Wednesday urging lawmakers to send fighter jets to Ukraine ahead of his visit to King Charles III.
“Today I will have the honor of being received by His Majesty the King,” Zelenskyy said as he addressed the Houses of Parliament and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. “It will be a truly special moment for me, for our country.
“In Britain, the king is an air force pilot. And today in the Ukraine, every air force pilot is a king,” he said to loud applause from members of Parliament.
King Charles III meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Buckingham Palace, London, Wednesday, February 8, 2023. (Aaron Chown/Pool via AP)
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Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for fighter jets since the war began nearly a year ago, but has renewed efforts to boost air defense as a major Russian offensive looms.
Western nations, including the US, have repeatedly said they will not send fighter jets to Ukraine for fear it could escalate the war. But many have questioned whether Washington and its NATO allies will change their line of reasoning after the United States and Germany reversed positions on sending tanks to Ukraine last month.
The UK at least seems to be changing its tune when it comes to sending planes to the Ukraine.
Following Zelenskyy’s speech, Sunak, who had previously rejected calls to send planes to Kyiv, asked his defense secretary Ben Wallace to investigate what warplanes the UK could provide to Ukraine, the Press Association reported.
Though Sunak reportedly called it a “long-term solution,” suggesting that the UK planes probably won’t find their way into the hands of Ukrainian fighter pilots any time soon.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomes Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to 10 Downing Street in London, Wednesday, February 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
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Sunak also announced on Wednesday that the UK would train Ukrainian pilots on NATO aircraft, an internship that is likely to go relatively smoothly as Ukrainian pilots have already been trained on fourth-generation fighter jets by US pilots.
Zelenskyy presented the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, with a Ukrainian fighter pilot’s helmet inscribed: “We have freedom, give us wings to protect it.”
“I appeal to you and to the world with simple but very important words: fighter jets for Ukraine, wings for freedom,” Zelenskyy urged.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle holds the helmet inscribed “We have freedom, give us wings to protect it” which was presented to him by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. (Stefan Rousseau/group photo via AP)
Sunak’s calls to investigate sending fighter jets to Ukraine come just weeks after Britain became one of the first nations to say it would send tanks to Ukraine amid debate among NATO nations.
Nations like France and Poland have also said they would be willing to send fighter jets to Ukraine.
The director of The Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, Nile Gardiner, said Zelenskyy’s visit to the UK has “tremendous significance”.
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“It’s a reflection of the fact that the UK is the biggest supporter of Ukraine in Europe today,” he told Fox News Digital. “Meeting with King Charles has great significance, and I think he sends a very clear message to the people of Ukraine that the British stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainians.
“But more importantly, it sends a message to Putin that Britain will stand up to Russian aggression,” he added.
Fox News’ Ashley Papa contributed to this report.
