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Zelensky presses allies for more weaponry on UK, France visits
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday made his first visits to Britain and France since the Russian invasion almost one year ago, pressing his allies for more weaponry and in particular fighter jets.
Zelensky enjoyed a ceremony-filled day in London where he met King Charles III and addressed parliament.
His visit to France -- which by contrast appeared to have been squeezed in at the last minute -- was to see him hold a late dinner meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, joined by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Britain said it would consider the proposal for combat aircraft in the "long term", although the United States and other NATO allies remain wary of getting more embroiled in the conflict.
As the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion looms and Ukraine braces for a fresh Russian offensive in the east, Zelensky is pushing ever harder for friendly nations to send tanks, jets and missiles.
Britain has offered to train Ukrainian fighter pilots on top of an existing programme that has already prepared 10,000 troops for battle.
Zelensky -- dressed in his usual green fatigues -- received waves of applause as he made a historic address to both the lower and upper houses of the British parliament, on what was only his second overseas trip since the war began after his trip to the US.
"I appeal to you and the world... for combat aircrafts for Ukraine, wings for freedom," he said.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's office said he had tasked the defence secretary with "investigating what jets we might be able to give but, to be clear, this is a long-term solution rather than a short-term capability."
In the meantime, the new UK training will "ensure pilots are able to fly sophisticated NATO-standard fighter jets in the future", an earlier statement from Sunak's office said.
Speaking alongside Zelensky in front of a British tank, Sunak said that "nothing is off the table" for Ukraine -- including fighter-combat aircraft.
"Of course they are part of the conversation," he said but held back from giving a concrete commitment to provide fighter planes.
Zelensky said that fighter jets had been discussed and reiterated his call for longer-range missiles.
Russia subsequently said that there would be a "response" from Moscow should Britain supply aircraft to Ukraine.
Zelensky is due to meet EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday.
- 'He has changed' -
Zelensky had on occasion shown impatience with Macron, who held frequent telephone talks with President Vladimir Putin even after the invasion and even expressed concern that Russia should not be humiliated in any final settlement.
But Macron has now indicated France wants to support Ukraine until it emerges victorious in the conflict and announced it would send light tanks in a move that prompted Germany to follow suit with battle tanks.
"I believe he has changed," said Zelensky in an interview with the Le Figaro daily published ahead of the talks.
"And that he changed for real this time. After all, he (Macron) opened the door to tank deliveries.
Moscow said Tuesday that Russian forces were advancing towards Bakhmut and Vugledar -- two key centres of fighting in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine, now the flashpoint of the war.
On Tuesday, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands promised that Ukraine would get at least 100 tanks in the "coming months", as the German defence minister visited Kyiv.
Germany recently gave the green light for Leopard battle tanks to be sent to Ukraine after a tireless campaign by Zelensky and allied countries.
Germany's defence minister said Berlin hoped to deliver the first tank battalion to Ukraine by April.
While Berlin has moved, however, other nations that committed to sending the tanks now appear to be stalling.
Training Ukrainian troops to use any armaments they receive remains a challenge.
Last week, Sunak said sending the UK's Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets to Kyiv would require "months if not years" of training and that he was looking for the most effective way of helping Kyiv secure victory.
The United States has so far rejected any deliveries of F-16 warplanes to Ukraine, but other partners, including Poland, have shown themselves more open to the idea.
Britain also announced a fresh round of sanctions targeting organisations relied on by the Russian military.
Putin, however, remains defiant.
Updated maps of Russia have gone on sale in Moscow book stores that include four annexed Ukrainian regions: Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Lugansk and Donetsk. Putin regularly refers to them as "our historical lands".
L.Herrero--HdM
