Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Brussels, the place he’s anticipated to handle the EU Parliament later right this moment.
Zelensky arrived from Paris alongside French President Emmanuel Macron as a part of an unannounced diplomatic tour of European capitals aimed toward persuading the West to ship extra weapons and army help to counter an anticipated Russian spring offensive.
Zelensky made a shock go to to the UK on Wednesday in solely his second overseas journey for the reason that Russian invasion of Ukraine practically a 12 months in the past.
In a speech to British lawmakers, Zelensky repeated his constant name for extra heavy weaponry, together with fighter jets.
In a poignant however fastidiously crafted transfer, Zelensky handed the Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, the helmet of a Ukrainian fighter pilot, signed with the message: “We have freedom. Give us wings to protect it.”
Earlier Wednesday, the UK introduced it would start coaching Ukrainian pilots on NATO-standard fighter jets, in what CNN understands could be the primary official coaching program for Ukrainian pilots on Western fighter plane.
There was no point out of offering Ukraine with Western fighter plane that Zelensky has been calling for.
But British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak did say that “when it comes to the provision of military assistance to Ukraine, nothing is off the table” when requested whether or not the UK will present fighter jets to Ukraine.
