Keir Starmer has vowed to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes as Volodymyr Zelensky addresses an extraordinary Cabinet meeting.
In a show of Britain’s enduring support, the Prime Minister invited the wartime leader to No10 for the “very special” gathering. The Ukrainian leader is the first foreign leader to address the Cabinet in person since Bill Clinton in 1997.
He was greeted by Mr Starmer with a warm hug and handshake before entering No10.
Inside, the PM told him: “It’s a very special moment for us to reiterate our support for you and the Ukrainian people in the fight against Russian aggression and to have this opportunity to confirm again our resolve to stand with you, so thank you so much for accepting the invitation.”
He added that the UK is “united in our Parliament” in supporting Kyiv for as long as possible.
Ahead of the visit, Mr Starmer had pledged that “Ukraine is, and always will be, at the heart of this Government’s agenda”.
Speaking at a summit of European leaders held at Blenheim Palace yesterday, Mr Zelensky said the UK had been “one step ahead in its determination to support Ukraine” since the Russian invasion began. He added: “This is the kind of resolve we need to stop Russian terror.”
At the European Political Community, 44 countries and the EU agreed to target Russia‘s “shadow fleet” of tankers seeking to evade sanctions on oil. The group of around 600 vessels carries 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, providing funds for Moscow’s war effort while also allegedly acting as listening stations or transporting weapons for Russia. The ships are often old and unsafe, and engage in dangerous practices such as turning off their location tracking systems, increasing the risk of a serious collision.
The UK sanctioned 11 oil tankers thought to be involved in evading sanctions, including the Rocky Runner, which previously sought to escape UK action by changing its operator. Most of the ships sail under the flag of Gabon, although some – including the Rocky Runner – are flagged with the Cook Islands and one sails under the flag of Panama.
Sanctioned vessels are prohibited from entering UK ports and may be detained or directed to enter a port.