Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed creating a "jets coalition" after face-to-face talks with Rishi Sunak, as the United Kingdom pledged to send hundreds of new long-range attack drones to Ukraine.
After discussions with Sunak at Chequers about military aid for his country, Zelenskyy said air superiority was a "very important topic for us because we can't control the sky".
When asked about the upcoming counteroffensive against Russia, Zelenskyy said Kyiv really "needs some more time".
“We'll be ready in some time. To be very honest, I can't share with you some days and I just don't want to prepare, not for our friends.. but there are some secrets from our 'neighbours' and that's why we have to prepare," he said.
Zelenskyy arrived in the UK today for discussions on Ukraine’s ongoing military resistance to Russia’s invasion.
The visit comes ahead of this week’s Council of Europe and G7 Summits where the UK PM will call for sustained global support for Ukraine’s fight to reclaim their sovereign territory, an official statement read.
Zelenskyy also updated PM Sunak on his meetings with European leaders over the weekend as Ukraine prepares for an intensified period of military activity.
Last week, the UK confirmed that they had provided Storm Shadow precision missiles to Ukraine. This is the first long-range cruise missile in Ukraine’s arsenal and will be critical in helping the country defend against the relentless bombardment of their critical national infrastructure.
Today, Sunak confirmed the further UK provision of hundreds of air defence missiles and unmanned aerial systems including hundreds of new long-range attack drones with a range of over 200km. These will all be delivered over the coming months as Ukraine prepares to intensify its resistance to the ongoing Russian invasion.
During their meeting today, the PM Sunak discussed with President Zelenskyy what support Ukraine needs from the international community, both in terms of immediate military equipment and long-term defence.
The prime minister also said the UK will be ready to help train Ukrainian pilots to use Western fighter jets "relatively soon" and will open a "new UK flying school".