Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is making an unexpected visit to the United Kingdom to meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London. As part of his ongoing

tour of European capitals, Zelensky will engage in "substantive negotiations" with his "friend Rishi," urging European leaders for increased military aid in response to the Russian invasion.

This visit to the UK follows Zelensky's meetings in Paris, Berlin, and Rome, and comes three months after his previous trip to London since the start of the war in Ukraine. During that visit, he had an audience with King Charles and addressed the Parliament in February.

In a tweet prior to his arrival on Monday, Zelensky highlighted the UK's leadership in expanding capabilities on the ground and in the air. He expressed his anticipation for fruitful face-to-face negotiations with Rishi Sunak and their respective delegations.

The timing of this visit coincides with Liverpool hosting the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine, demonstrating ongoing British support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Additionally, the UK government recently authorized the donation of long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, a move praised by Zelensky as a significant boost to Ukraine's war efforts.

During the talks on Monday, it is expected that Prime Minister Sunak will announce further military aid for Ukraine, reaffirming the UK's commitment to sustaining its support for the country. Sunak emphasized the importance of international solidarity in Ukraine's resistance against an unjust war of aggression and emphasized the need to prevent the rewarding of Putin's barbarism.

Zelensky's visit to the UK precedes the G7 summit scheduled to take place in Hiroshima, Japan later this week, which will also be attended by Prime Minister Sunak. The discussions held during this visit hold significance in shaping the international response to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Photo by President.gov.ua, Wikimedia commons.