Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Zelensky said Ukraine and the U.K. were "real partners", while Sunak's spokesman described the meeting as "warm and collegiate." Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images

In addition to the Storm Shadow cruise missiles that were revealed last week, the UK will also send hundreds of air defense missiles and armed drones to Ukraine.

In delivering weaponry that could shift the conflict in favor of Ukraine, the UK is now going further than any other nation.

As part of a tour with Western allies, President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier met Rishi Sunak of the UK.

According to Zelensky, it was crucial that the West provide fighter jets as well.

But the PM said providing fighter jets was "not a straightforward thing", although he did say the UK would form "a key part of the coalition countries" providing that support.

Ukraine is still putting the finishing touches on its much-awaited counteroffensive against Russian forces.

Zelensky told the BBC last week that his nation required additional weapons before it could begin the assault.

The Ukrainian president and Sunak spoke for approximately two hours on Monday at Chequers, which is close to London.

He paid a surprise visit to Britain after a quick tour of Western Europe that included stops in Rome, Berlin, and Paris.

The meeting was described as "warm and collegiate" by Sunak's spokesman, while Zelensky called Ukraine and the UK "real partners."

Russia's positions in seized Ukrainian land can be destroyed using the Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

It might become impossible for Moscow to continue resupplying its frontline soldiers in some areas if Ukraine is able to eliminate Russia's command centers, logistics hubs, and ammunition depots in occupied territory.

This is what Ukraine accomplished in Kherson last year with great success, forcing the Russians to retreat nearly without a struggle.

With the aid of munitions provided by the West, it will now be attempting to replicate the procedure.

For several reasons, Zelensky's repeated requests for NATO to dispatch F-16 jets are met with delays and misinformation.

The RAF does not utilize F-16s, but the Ukrainian air force has trained its pilots on them over the course of months, not days.

Additionally significant are the needs for maintenance, logistics, and finding adequate runways.

Escalation is the last issue to be addressed. NATO is attempting to strike a balance between offering Kyiv the most help possible and avoiding becoming actively involved in this crisis.

Even if NATO does decide to send F-16 warplanes, Moscow will view this as a significant act of provocation on the part of the West.

Zelensky said he discussed the supply of Western fighter jets with Sunak.

New jets were a "very important topic for us, because we can't control the sky", the Ukrainian leader added.

"We spoke about it and I see that in the closest time you will hear some, I think, very important decisions, but we have to work a little bit more on it," he said.

The official spokesman for the prime minister stated that the UK has no plans to send fighter jets to Ukraine.

However, No. 10 claimed that Ukrainian pilots will start receiving basic training this summer, along with British efforts to coordinate with other nations to give Ukraine access to F-16 aircraft.

The official spokesman for the prime minister also disputed that any drones provided by the UK would be used to strike targets inside of Russia.

According to the spokesman, they would be utilized for Ukraine's defense of its own sovereign territory.

Sunak said, "This is a crucial moment in Ukraine's resistance to a terrible war of aggression they did not choose or provoke.

"They need the sustained support of the international community to defend against the barrage of unrelenting and indiscriminate attacks that have been their daily reality for over a year."

In response, Russia said the new British weapons due to be supplied to Kyiv would only cause "further destruction".

"Britain aspires to position itself at the forefront of the countries that continue to pump weapons into Ukraine," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Following discussions with Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday in Berlin, Ukraine was granted a fresh defense aid package from Germany, bringing its overall military funding to close to $7 billion (£6.44 billion).

Zelensky described the new pledge of German Leopard tanks and anti-aircraft systems as "the largest since the beginning of the full-scale aggression" by Russia in February 2022.

After President Emmanuel Macron met with his counterpart from Ukraine in Paris, France pledged to purchase numerous additional light tanks and armored vehicles.

Zelensky made his first trip to London since the war began in February, during which he spoke to Parliament and had an audience with the King.

His most recent trip to the UK is in preparation for this week's G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, which Sunak will also attend.

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