UK PM Sunak on surprise trip to Ukraine, meets Zelenskyy

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JOHN LEICESTER

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised 125 anti-aircraft guns and other air-defense technology as he made an unannounced visit Saturday — his first — to Ukraine’s snow-blanketed war-time capital for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The air-defense package, which Britain valued at 50 million pounds ($60 million), comes as Russia has been pounding Ukraine’s power grid and other key infrastructure from the air, causing widespread blackouts for millions of Ukrainians as the frigid cold of winter draws near.

The package includes radar and other technology to counter Iran-supplied exploding drones that Russia has used against Ukrainian targets. It comes on top of a delivery of more than 1,000 anti-air missiles that Britain announced earlier this month.

The U.K. has been one of the staunchest Western supporters of Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion, giving Kyiv 2.3 billion pounds ($2.7 billion) in military aid.



In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, shakes hands with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-british-politics-kyiv-europe-c15a7620922eec1402ed4fa0d4b9b79b

[Indykatie]

1. Zelenskyy Appears to be Looking Intently At Him Sizing Him Up

That's not a typical pose for a photo op for sure.

[Irish_Dem]

3. I think Zelensky looks pleased, appreciative, grateful.

[JI7]

7. Agree

[ashpibaoo]

2. nice

that was so nice of him

[electric_blue68]

4. Thank you, 🇬🇧 UK! Slava Ukraini! 🌻🇺🇦🌻

[Doodley]

5. Just imagine if Trump was president now. Ukraine would now be part of Russia and

the photo opportunity would be with Trump and Putin.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. I assume Sunak is signalling that he'll continue Johnson's policy of supporting Ukraine.

[Emrys]

9. Yup. There's been strong multi-partisan support for it at a UK level, and that continues.

It's just about the only Tory policy I approve of.

It doesn't quite make up for all the roubles that have been allowed to slosh around the Tories nor their fondness for oligarchs over the years.

[JI7]

8. This is one difference between mainstream conservatives in the UK

and US. Johnson was also supporter of Ukraine against Russia.