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Vladimir Zelensky Will solve a unique problem UK Cabinet meeting on Friday He is the first official visitor to Downing Street Sir Keir Starmerof the Prime Ministership.
President of Ukraine Third visit to the UKHe will also become the first foreign leader since the US president to personally address the cabinet. Bill Clinton 1997.
He is expected to report to ministers On the situation in Ukraine and the need to expand Europe’s industrial defence base, and the £3.5 billion defence export finance deal with Sir Keir.
The Labour leader first visited Ukraine in February last year and has been keen to highlight Britain’s continued support for the troubled country, despite a change of government.
The Prime Minister said: “Ukraine is and always will be at the heart of this government’s agenda, so it is only fitting that President Zelenskyy delivers this historic address to my Cabinet.
“Russia’s incremental advances on the battlefield pale in comparison to the collective international support for Ukraine and the strong ties between our two peoples.”
President Zelensky’s visit to Downing Street follows a European Political Community (EPC) summit at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire on Thursday, at which 44 countries and the EU agreed to crack down on Russia’s “shadow fleet”, or tankers that try to evade sanctions on Russian oil.
The fleet, which consists of about 600 ships and carries 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, helps finance Moscow’s war effort while also allegedly acting as Russian listening stations or delivering weapons.
These ships are often older, unsafe and engage in dangerous practices such as turning off their position tracking systems, increasing the risk of serious collisions.
Sir Keir said: “Together with our European partners, we have sent a clear message to those who help Putin evade sanctions: we will not allow Russia’s shadow fleet and the dirty money it earns to pass freely through European waters and endanger our security.”
Zelenskiy told the European Peace and Cooperation Summit on Thursday that Britain had “been ahead of the curve in its resolve to support Ukraine” since the Russian invasion.
He also urged European leaders to summon the courage of Winston Churchill and fight Vladimir Putin and Russian aggression.
He said: “Courage made Churchill. Courage won the greatest battle of his life. It was the battle for Britain.”
“Now, our courage and cooperation must achieve even greater things so that the children of our nation will one day be able to look back at us, at what we did, what we chose, what we promised, and see the pillars of their peace, security and prosperity as we do when we look back at the most famous man who came from Blenheim Palace.”
He added: “This is the kind of resolve we need to stop Russian terrorism.”
On Thursday, Britain also imposed sanctions on 11 tankers suspected of evading sanctions, including Rocky LannerThe company had previously tried to evade UK sanctions by changing operators.
Most of the ships fly the Gabonese flag, but some – including Rocky Lanner – One is flagged under the Cook Islands and the other under the Panamanian flag.
Sanctioned vessels are prohibited from entering UK ports and may be detained or directed to enter port.
Additional reporting by PA
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