Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky became the first foreign leader to attend Britain’s cabinet meeting in person since former U.S. president Bill Clinton in 1997, in a public display of Britain’s staunch support for Ukraine as doubts grow about future U.S. military aid if Donald J. Trump wins a second presidential term.
Mr. Zelensky briefed the British government’s top ministers on Friday on his country’s military conflict with Russia, while discussing moves to prevent oil tankers from breaching international sanctions against Moscow.
The Ukrainian president, who was greeted with a standing ovation, was the first foreign leader to be invited into Downing Street by Keir Starmer, the new British prime minister, following his general election victory earlier this month.
The two leaders also discussed a new defense export support treaty designed to boost production of military hardware and weaponry in both countries.
Mr. Zelensky’s visit to Downing Street followed his attendance on Thursday at a summit of more than 45 European leaders at Blenheim Palace, near Oxford, where Ukraine was high on the agenda, and where he won renewed pledges of support for his battle against the forces of Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin.
Persons:
Volodymyr Zelensky, Bill Clinton, Donald J, Zelensky, Keir Starmer, Zelensky’s, Vladimir V, Putin
Organizations:
Trump, British, Moscow, Downing
Locations:
Ukraine, Russia, Blenheim, Oxford