On 14 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the UK on a working visit, where he will hold talks with Prime Minister Andy Burnham on defence cooperation, strengthening air defence and further assistance to Ukraine. The day before, the British government announced that it was speeding up the delivery of LMM missiles and preparing further military, financial and sanctions-related measures.
Briefly about the main points
- Zelenskyy is to hold talks in London on defence, air defence and European security.
- The UK is set to fast-track part of the £45 million LMM missile package.
- The missiles are designed, in particular, to counter Russian jet-powered drones.
- London is preparing additional military and financial support, as well as sanctions against Russia.
- The visit comes in the wake of Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Air defence and European security will be at the centre of the talks
The key topics of the meeting will be strengthening Ukraine’s defence capabilities, supply of air defence missiles and joint measures for European security. According to Zelensky, the parties are drawing up measures designed to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities.
Back on 10 October, Zelenskyy and Bernham They held a telephone conversation, during which the Ukrainian leader emphasised the need for concrete measures to protect the population. «Air defence is, of course, the top priority», the president said at the time. The leaders also discussed the pressure of sanctions on Russia and ways to step up diplomatic efforts to end the war.
The itinerary for the trip includes an audience between Zelenskyy and the King Charles III. At the time of writing, no separate official confirmation of this meeting had been released.
Britain is speeding up the delivery of LMM missiles
The British Government has decided to speed up the delivery of Lightweight Multirole Missiles. These are used, in particular, against Russian jet-powered drones, which travel considerably faster than strike drones of the type Shahed.
The new missile package is estimated to be worth 45 million pounds sterling. Deliveries worth 10 million pounds are to be expedited to meet the urgent needs of Ukraine’s air defence forces ahead of winter.
London had previously pledged to allocate 1.6 billion pounds for the supply of more than 5,000 LMM missiles over a four-year period. These weapons are intended to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian air targets.
London is preparing further aid and sanctions
Andy Burnham stated that the UK would support Ukraine for as long as necessary. According to him, this support is directly linked to the security of the UK itself and of Europe as a whole.
The Prime Minister has instructed ministers to draw up new packages of military and financial aid, as well as additional sanctions against Russia. London is calling on its international partners to step up economic pressure on Moscow.
Restrictions on maritime services facilitating the export of Russian liquefied natural gas could become a separate area of focus. The British side is counting on other countries to join in these measures.
The talks are taking place following fresh attacks on the energy sector
The visit is taking place against the backdrop of large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine. On the night of 14 October, Russian forces carried out strikes on energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other regions; according to Reuters, at least 600,000 people were left without electricity.
At the same time, there is no confirmed agreement to halt attacks on the energy sector, as previously announced by the US President Donald Trump, no. The British side has confirmed that defence and sanctions measures are being prepared, whilst specific outcomes of the talks in London are expected following official announcements by the parties.
