UK promises more military aid to kyiv after Sunak, Zelensky meeting

First modification: 05/15/2023 – 16:28

Zelenski seals his dizzying tour of Europe with new support. Britain joined France and Germany in a fresh push by the Ukrainian president for fresh military aid as he aims for a counter-offensive against Russian troops.

“Hundreds” of cruise missiles and attack drones “with a range of more than 200 kilometers” would be supplied by London to Kiev forces, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised on May 15 after his meeting with the Ukrainian leader. , in Checkers, the country house of the premier, in the county of Buckinghamshire, south-east England.

“This is a pivotal moment in Ukraine’s resistance to a terrible war of aggression that was neither chosen nor provoked. They need the sustained support of the international community to fend off the barrage of relentless and indiscriminate attacks that have been their daily reality for over a year. We must not let them down,” Sunak ratified in a statement shortly before the meeting.

Last week, London announced that it would send its Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine, with a far greater range than Western weapons delivered so far. A reiterated endorsement by Sunak this Monday.

“Creating a coalition of aircraft”: Zelenski’s bet that still falters

Sources quoted by Reuters said that, in addition to air defense supplies, the United Kingdom would begin this summer basic training for Ukrainian pilots on handling “F16 aircraft, the combat aircraft of choice for Ukraine.”

However, shortly after, a spokesman for the British Prime Minister qualified the information by pointing out that the fact that the Ukrainian Army indicated that it prefers to use this type of aircraft does not mean that London would supply them. “There are no plans to do that,” he emphasized.

But the nation invaded by the most powerful Army in the world does not waver after more than a year of war and is committed to strengthening its air defense, its biggest Achilles heel against Moscow. “We want to create a coalition of aircraft,” Zelensky said, detailing that he discussed with Sunak the possibility of their Western allies joining the delivery of combat aircraft to Kiev.

This is momentous help that the attacked country has sought for months, but it is a widespread boundary among Western nations that are openly unwilling to cross at the risk of hitting Russian soil and sparking further conflict.

After keeping its troops on the defensive for the past six months, Kiev plans to launch major attacks to retake its territories held by Kremlin troops, a mission for which it would use newly acquired weapons from the West.

Since last week, kyiv has made its biggest gains in the fighting around the beleaguered eastern city of Bakhmut, but a bigger assault is looming. Contrary to what the Wagner mercenary group, which supports Moscow, points out, kyiv indicates that its great operation is yet to start.

Russia Threatens ‘Further Destruction’ Amid Increased Aid to kyiv

For the first time in the course of the war, the Russian Ministry assured on Monday that it shot down a long-range Storm Shadow missile supplied to Ukraine by the United Kingdom.

He also claimed that he shot down shorter-range US-made HARM and HIMARS missiles. However, this information has not been independently verified.

Moscow delivered those statements shortly after expressing its rejection of the new military aid that Zelensky has obtained on his tour.

Furthermore, in the last few hours, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, lashed out at the new London ads. “We repeat once again that this cannot have any significant and fundamental impact on the course of the special military operation, but of course this leads to further destruction and more response actions,” held.

After the United States, the British government has been one of the largest providers of military aid to Ukraine. In 2022, it contributed about $2.9 billion worth of combat equipment and promises a similar amount for this year.

With Reuters, AP and local media