The Ukrainian president will be the first foreign leader to be welcomed into Downing Street during Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership, and the first to address a full cabinet since US President Bill Clinton in 1997.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Number 10 on Friday as the British government vows to carry out a “crackdown” on Russian oil tankers.
The Ukrainian leader, who has been in the country for Summit of the European Political Community (EPC)will meet the entire new cabinet in Downing Street to brief them on the ongoing war and “the need to strengthen Europe’s defence industrial base to overcome the Russian threat”.
It will be the first time Sir Keir Starmer has hosted a foreign leader since he became Prime Ministeras well as the first time a president has addressed the cabinet in person since former U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1997.
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The meeting comes after 44 European countries and the European Union agreed at the EPC summit to work together to disrupt Russia’s so-called “ghost fleet”.
It is a group of about 6,000 ships that carry 1.7 million barrels of oil a day, which the government says the country uses to “generate significant funds to fuel its war machine,” with some believed to be used as listening stations or weapons transports.
British and Ukrainian defence ministers are also expected to sign a new £3.5bn defence export support treaty, agreed by both leaders, to boost production of military hardware and weapons for the war effort.
President Zelensky also met on Wednesday with representatives of the British defense industry and British Defense Secretary John Healey to discuss how to deepen cooperation and boost defense industrial production.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Sir Keir said: “Ukraine is, and always will be, at the heart of this government’s agenda and it is therefore entirely fitting that President Zelenskyy should deliver a historic speech to my office.
“Russia’s incremental gains on the battlefield are nothing compared to the collective international support for Ukraine, or the strength of the bonds between our peoples.
“Alongside our European partners, we have sent a clear message to those who enable Putin to try to evade sanctions: we will not allow the Russian ghost fleet and the dirty money it generates to circulate freely in European waters and put our security at risk.”
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The event comes amid growing uncertainty over the future of Ukraine’s financing due to the US presidential elections.
Donald Trump, who hopes to return to the White House after the US elections in November, this week announced that his running mate would be Ohio Senator J.D. Vance – a staunch critic of US aid to Ukraine and US taxpayer funding of European security.
Sir Keir, however, reiterated his support for President Zelensky, announcing a £3bn funding package at the recent Nato summit in Washington.
