Zelensky acquires new attack drones during successful Euro trip.

Britain Promises Ukraine Long-Range Attack Drones and More

During his European tour aimed at securing new weapons for a counteroffensive against Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the UK on Monday. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to provide Ukraine with long-range attack drones and hundreds of air defense missiles. The UK will also begin basic training of Ukrainian pilots this summer, working with other countries to provide F-16 jets. Zelensky won additional pledges of tanks, armored vehicles, and other weapons from Germany and France.

Creating a Jets Coalition

Zelensky and Sunak discussed Ukraine’s request for Western fighter jets, and Britain said it would begin basic training of Ukrainian pilots this summer “hand in hand with UK efforts to work with other countries on providing F-16 jets.” Zelensky said, “We want to create this jets coalition, and I’m very positive with it…I see that in the closest time you will hear some, I think, very important decisions, but we have to work a little bit more on it.”

Steadfast Support for Ukraine

Sunak’s spokesman said Britain had no plans to send fighter jets to Ukraine. “The Ukrainians made the decision to train their pilots on F-16s, and you will know the RAF don’t use those,” he said. The Kremlin on Monday said Russia takes an “extremely negative” view of Britain’s decision to supply Ukraine with more military hardware but does not believe London’s help will change the course of the conflict. “The conflict is at a pivotal moment,” Sunak said. “The UK will remain steadfast in supporting Ukraine and its people to defend itself…it is important for the Kremlin to also know that we are not going away. We are here for the long term.”

Counteroffensive Plans

After keeping its troops on the defensive for six months, Ukraine is planning to start major assaults to reclaim territory using newly acquired weapons from the West. It has already achieved its biggest gains since last November in fighting around the city of Bakhmut in the past week. Asked whether the counteroffensive could begin without the provision of more advanced weapons, Zelensky said: “We really need some more time, not too much. We will be ready in some time…I can’t share with you.”

Appeal for NATO Membership

The Ukrainian president also on Monday issued a new appeal for NATO membership, calling for a political decision at the Western alliance’s summit in July in Vilnius. “It is time to remove the biggest security uncertainty in Europe — that is, to approve a positive political decision on (Ukrainian) membership in NATO,” he said in a video address to the Copenhagen Democracy Summit. “This is worth doing at the July summit already. This will be a timely signal.”

• Britain promised Ukraine long-range attack drones and air defense missiles.
• The UK will begin basic training of Ukrainian pilots this summer.
• Zelensky won additional pledges of tanks, armored vehicles, and other weapons from Germany and France.
• Ukraine is planning to start major assaults to reclaim territory using newly acquired weapons from the West.
• The Ukrainian president issued a new appeal for NATO membership.

Britain has frequently been the first country to offer Ukraine new capabilities, often followed by similar offers from other allies. After the United States, Britain has been one of the largest suppliers of military aid to Ukraine, contributing 2.3 billion pounds ($2.9 billion) worth of support last year and pledging a similar amount for 2023.

Oleksandr Musiyenko, a Kyiv-based military analyst, said the latest Western assistance was “fairly significant”. “It’s also very important that shells and ammunition are supplied to Ukraine regularly, as a counteroffensive is a process that expends a lot of ammunition,” Musiyenko said. “It’s vital it does not stop. The next step is aircraft.”

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