King Charles meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
It's after Zelensky made an address to Parliament
King Charles has welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Buckingham Palace. for a 'truly special' audience.
Mr Zelensky was dressed in his trademark khaki green military fatigues as he was welcomed to the royal residence on Wednesday afternoon.
Charles greeted the president with a smile and a handshake in the Palace’s 1844 Room.
The president is on his first visit to the UK since the Russian invasion of his country began and in his address to Parliament said he would take the opportunity to thank Charles for the support he had shown Ukraine as the Prince of Wales.
He said meeting the King was a “truly special moment” and referred to Charles’s former military service in the Royal Air Force, saying: “The King is an air force pilot and in Ukraine today, every air force pilot is a king.”
Zelensky urges parliament for planes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the UK and Western allies to provide “wings for freedom” by supplying his air force with advanced jets.
In a surprise visit, Mr Zelensky used an address to Parliament to thank the UK for its steadfast support since Russia invaded.
But, as he presented a Ukrainian fighter ace’s helmet to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, he said more planes were needed to defeat Vladimir Putin’s forces.
Earlier, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to train Ukrainian pilots, paving the way for them eventually being able to fly sophisticated Nato-standard jets, but that is seen as a long-term ambition.
Mr Zelensky said he wanted a coalition of nations to supply planes.
He said: “I appeal to you and the world with simple and yet most important words: combat aircraft for Ukraine, wings for freedom.”
He said that on his last trip to Parliament two years ago in peacetime, “I thanked you for delicious English tea”, but now he would be “thanking all of you in advance for powerful English planes”.
It was only Mr Zelensky’s second time travelling overseas since the Russian invasion, after he held talks in the United States and Poland during a trip in December.
Addressing a packed Westminster Hall, Mr Zelensky told parliamentarians: “We know freedom will win. We know Russia will lose.
“And we really know that the victory will change the world and this will be a change that the world has long needed.
“The United Kingdom is marching with us towards the most, I think, the most important victory of our lifetime. It will be a victory over the very idea of the war.”
Ahead of his speech in Parliament, Mr Zelensky visited Downing Street for talks with Mr Sunak.
The Prime Minister promised training for pilots and also Ukrainian marines so they can “mount further offensives”.