On 10 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke by telephone with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to discuss the intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine, the strengthening of air defences and sanctions against Moscow. London has confirmed its intention to tighten restrictions, whilst Kyiv and London are preparing joint diplomatic measures and a meeting.
Briefly about the main points
- The President described air defence as the top priority for Ukraine’s defence.
- Russia used aerial bombs, «Shahed» drones and ballistic missiles.
- London will continue to restrict Russia’s resources for the war.
- No new package of sanctions was announced following the talks.
- The parties are preparing joint measures and a forthcoming meeting.
Air defence has been identified as the top priority for defence
The President informed the British Prime Minister that Russian troops had been continuously attacking various Ukrainian cities throughout the day with aerial bombs and attack drones of the «Shahed» and ballistic missiles.
«Air defence is, of course, the top priority», he said Zelensky. He emphasised the need for concrete international solutions to strengthen the protection of the civilian population and critical infrastructure.
The Head of State thanked United Kingdom for their support and sympathy for the families of those killed in the attacks. He also emphasised the need for European countries to work together to ensure security on the continent.
London has confirmed that it will continue its sanctions policy
One of the topics of the talks was further economic pressure on Moscow. According to Zelenskyy, the UK intends to tighten sanctions in response to Russia’s escalation.
The President noted that the restrictions are intended to reduce the resources that the Russian authorities are channelling towards continuing hostilities and the production of weapons. However, no announcement was made regarding the approval of a new, separate package of sanctions following the telephone conversation.
Context: 38 new UK restrictions
On 8 October, the UK Government announced 38 new sanctions restrictions targeting the Russian oil sector, financial institutions and suppliers of products to the military-industrial complex.
The list now includes the oil companies «Zarubezhneft» and INK Capital, as well as 12 tankers from Russia’s «shadow fleet». As a result, the total number of sanctioned vessels in this category has exceeded 600.
The restrictions also applied to cryptocurrency exchanges, payment platforms and 17 individuals and entities linked to the supply of goods that could be used by the Russian defence industry. The British Government stated that these measures were intended to limit Russia’s oil revenues, make it more difficult to circumvent financial sanctions and cut off the supply of equipment for missiles and drones.
Kyiv and London are preparing for further coordination
The parties discussed how to make diplomatic efforts more effective in bringing the Russian-Ukrainian war to an end. Zelenskyy stated that practical solutions are needed that will have an impact on the security situation.
«We are preparing the right joint steps and a meeting,» he said. The parties did not disclose the date, format of the forthcoming meeting or any specific decisions.
As part of their bilateral cooperation, Kyiv and London are also developing the field of defence technologies: on 24 August, Zelenskyy and Bernham signed a declaration of intent regarding a partnership in the field of artificial intelligence.
