Rishi Sunak visited Ukraine: what he promised Zelensky

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a surprise visit to Ukraine and met with Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since taking office. The guest from London arrived in Kyiv not empty-handed, but promised multimillion-dollar assistance to fight drones.

Zelenskiy posted a video on Saturday showing him meeting Sunak in Kyiv. “During today’s meeting, we discussed the most important issues both for our countries and for global security,” the Ukrainian president wrote on Telegram.

Following in the footsteps of his premier predecessors Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, Sunak vowed that the UK would continue to support Ukraine in the fight against Russia, The Guardian writes.

“In the coming years, we will tell our grandchildren about your history, about how a proud and sovereign people withstood a terrifying onslaught, how you fought, how you sacrificed yourself, how you won,” Rishi Sunak said pathetically at a joint press conference .

In response, Zelenskiy praised the British guest for a “meaningful and rewarding visit for both of our countries” during which the two leaders discussed how to protect “European and Ukrainian energy security” and defense cooperation.

“With friends like you, we are sure of our victory,” the Ukrainian president added.

Rigi Sunak, who has spoken to Zelensky on numerous occasions since coming to Downing Street, took advantage of his appearance at the G20 summit last week to join allies and other Western leaders in denouncing Russia’s actions in Ukraine, The Guardian recalls.

Sunak’s arrival in Kyiv was accompanied by the announcement of a £50 million defense aid package including 125 anti-aircraft guns and technology to help Ukraine counter drones, including radar and anti-drone technology.

Sunak said: “I am here today to say that the UK and our allies will continue to support Ukraine.”

The head of the British government also promised that the United Kingdom will expand the training program for the Ukrainian military, sending experienced army doctors and engineers to the region to provide specialized support.

Earlier in November, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace announced the delivery of more than a thousand new anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine. The UK, as the BBC recalls, is the largest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States of America. According to the House of Commons, London has already allocated about £2.3 billion worth of military assistance to Kyiv and promises to increase this amount until 2023.

Britain, with the support of Western allies, is also implementing a training program for the Ukrainian military. Within 120 days, it is planned to train 10,000 servicemen of Ukraine.

The British prime minister’s visit comes at a time when Kyiv and several other regions of Ukraine are facing power shortages following Russian strikes on critical infrastructure.

On Saturday, the head of Ukraine’s largest private energy company urged Ukrainians to consider leaving their country to help save energy. According to The Guardian, no power system has ever been subjected to such powerful airstrikes that would threaten such long periods of blackouts.

As temperatures dip below freezing this week and the first snow of the season falls on the streets of Kyiv, people across Ukraine are starting to worry about how to heat their homes due to power outages caused by Russian strikes as authorities struggle to restore electricity supply throughout the country.

In an interview with the BBC, Maxim Timchenko, chief executive of energy company DTEK, said that the Ukrainian electricity system is becoming less reliable with every Russian attack. He suggested that reducing electricity consumption is the key to keeping the power grid running. “If Ukrainians can find alternative residence for another three to four months, it will be very beneficial for the system,” he said, noting that people should consider leaving the country as a way to help win the battle against Russia.

Zelenskiy said about 10 million people were left without electricity, calling the electricity situation in more than a dozen regions “very difficult.” “The situation with energy supply is difficult in 17 regions and in the capital,” he admitted. “The situation is very difficult in the Kyiv region and the city of Kyiv, Odessa region, as well as Vinnitsa and Ternopil regions.”