The U.Okay. is to ship 120 armored automobiles and new anti-ship missile programs to Ukraine, Downing Avenue introduced Saturday, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid an in-person go to to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Johnson and Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer made separate visits to Zelenskyy on Saturday, the newest in a string of leaders to journey to the nation in the course of the ongoing Russian invasion.
A photograph tweeted by Ukraine's Embassy to the U.Okay. confirmed Johnson seated reverse Zelenskyy at a desk in a pink and inexperienced stuccoed room. The publish was captioned with the phrase "Shock" and a winking face emoji.
The Press Service of the Nationwide Safety and Defence Council of Ukraine mentioned on its official Twitter account that the 2 leaders had held talks in Kyiv, posting a number of pictures of the pair's beforehand unannounced assembly.
Johnson posted on Twitter that his go to to Kyiv was "a present of our unwavering assist for the individuals of Ukraine" and introduced a brand new package deal of economic and navy help.
"Ukraine has defied the percentages and pushed again Russian forces from the gates of Kyiv, reaching the best feat of arms of the twenty first century," the U.Okay. PM mentioned in a press release.
He praised Zelenskyy's "resolute management" and the "invincible heroism and braveness of the Ukrainian individuals," including that the U.Okay. "stands unwaveringly with them on this ongoing combat ... we're in it for the long term."
Following the assembly, Downing Avenue mentioned the U.Okay. authorities would offer armored automobiles and anti-ship missile programs, "along with the £100 million value of high-grade navy tools" introduced on Friday.
Zelenskyy and Nehammer's assembly was separate to the one with Johnson and occurred earlier on Saturday, in line with Zelenskyy's official Telegram channel.
Whereas a number of different leaders have visited Ukraine in latest weeks, the journey by Nehammer is critical given his nation's impartial standing, which is enshrined in its structure.
Austria shouldn't be a part of NATO and doesn't provide weapons to Ukraine. It has, nevertheless, offered Ukraine with humanitarian help and helmets and safety vests for civilian use, in line with a press release from the Austrian Chancellery.
Nehammer mentioned Saturday that whereas his nation is militarily impartial, "We perceive we now have to assist the place injustice and conflict crimes happen."
Based on his workplace, Nehammer was set to fulfill with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, earlier than returning to Austria on Saturday night.
Nehammer was additionally because of go to the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, which endured 5 weeks of near-constant firefights; after Russian forces withdrew from the city, the our bodies of not less than 20 civilians had been discovered mendacity in a single road, some with their arms tied.
Nehammer mentioned Bucha was "a spot of conflict crimes."
"We have now to make these conflict crimes identified to the UN, and worldwide justice should start investigating and combat these crimes," he mentioned throughout a information convention with Zelenskyy.
The dual visits by Johnson and Nehammer got here a day after prime European Union officers made a visit to Ukraine. European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen and Josep Borrell, the bloc's prime diplomat, visited Kyiv and Bucha on Friday, alongside Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger.
Through the go to, von der Leyen ceremoniously handed Zelenskyy an EU questionnaire to finish -- a symbolic, however vital step in the direction of Ukraine's membership of the bloc. Tweeting concerning the transfer, von der Leyen mentioned: "We'll speed up this course of as a lot as we will, whereas making certain that every one circumstances are revered."
The prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia visited Kyiv final month, at a time when it was nonetheless frequently focused by Russian strikes. Like Johnson's go to on Saturday, that journey was saved secret till the three leaders had been within the nation, travelling on a prepare from japanese Ukraine.
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