Prime Minister Sir Keir starmer meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street.
Zelensky is seeking to secure renewed international support in his war effort against Russia as it enters its third winter.
The Ukrainian president was welcomed with a red carpet in Downing Street. The two leaders exchanged greetings and embraced each other on the steps of Number 10.
Starmer will also meet Mark Rutte later that evening at No 10, the new head of NATO.
Rutte is expected to join Starmer and Zelensky in a discussion before meeting the prime minister one-on-one. Zelensky will then continue his European diplomatic tour with visits to France, Italy and Germany.
The agenda for the Downing Street discussions has not been released, but Zelensky will likely press Starmer to allow British-supplied rockets to be used on Russian territory.
He has publicly asked for his forces to have the ability to target Russian military logistics targets deep within Russia using Storm Shadow missiles, but his efforts to date have been frustrated.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UK has provided Ukraine with military and other aid worth PS12.8bn.
More than 200,000 Ukrainians have temporarily settled in Britain.
Since taking office, Prime Minister Cameron has continued the policy of his predecessor’s Conservative government by offering strong financial and diplomacy support to Ukraine’s war effort.
Zelensky is visiting Downing Street for the second time since Starmer became prime minister. In July, the Ukrainian President became the first foreign head of state to be hosted by No 10 since the new government.
Starmer met Zelensky, who was then the leader of opposition in Ukraine, in February. He also held talks with him in July at a Nato Summit.
The Nato countries promised Ukraine an “irreversible pathway” to membership. This is something that the Ukrainian government believes is vital for its own security.
Read More @ www.bbc.com