President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Sunak meeting atLondon Stansted Airport | |
| Date | 8 February 2023 (2023-02-08) |
|---|---|
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
On 8 February 2023,Volodymyr Zelenskyy, thepresident of Ukraine, visited theUnited Kingdom. During his trip, Zelenskyy metRishi Sunak, theprime minister of the United Kingdom at the time. He also addressed Members of Parliament from Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament and had an audience withKing Charles III. It was Zelenskyy's second trip outside Ukraine since the beginning of theRussian invasion of Ukraine, after hisDecember 2022 visit to the United States.[1][2][3][4]
On 24 February 2022,Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of theRusso-Ukrainian War that began in 2014.[5][6][7] Throughout the war, a number of states have providedmilitary and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including the United Kingdom; in 2022, the UK government spent£2,300,000,000 on military aid for Ukraine.[8][9][10]

Zelenskyy flew fromRzeszów–Jasionka Airport in Poland toLondon Stansted Airport aboard an RAFC-17 (serial number ZZ178). He was greeted on the tarmac at Stansted by the prime minister of the United Kingdom,Rishi Sunak, who invited Zelenskyy to 10 Downing Street.[1] Zelenskyy later addressed Members of Parliament from Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament,[11] where he received a standing ovation.[citation needed]
Zelenskyy had an audience withKing Charles III,[11] before visiting Ukrainian troops being trained atLulworth Camp inDorset.[11][12]