UK Prime Minister and Zelensky Discuss Training for Ukrainian Forces

Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky have reached an agreement on the “importance of refining” the United Kingdom’s training of Ukrainian forces to “bolster” the country’s defence capabilities. During a telephone conversation with the Ukrainian president on Monday, the prime minister stated that Western allies were “united in their determination to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position going into 2025”. This discussion follows reports that the Ministry of Defence was exploring the option of deploying British troops to Ukraine to assist in training its armed forces. Britain has been conducting training for Ukrainian troops within the UK since 2022, and a small contingent of British Army medics is also delivering training inside Ukraine. Neither the UK nor other Nato members have deployed troops to Ukraine or established a no-fly zone over the nation, citing concerns about being drawn into a direct confrontation with Russia. Nevertheless, certain individual member states have provided arms and equipment. In their call, Downing Street reported that the two leaders addressed Operation Interflex, an initiative under which over 45,000 Ukrainian personnel have received training on British territory since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A No 10 spokeswoman stated that the pair “agreed on the importance of refining its offer to further bolster Ukraine’s ability on the battlefield.” She further added, “What happens in Ukraine in the coming weeks and months matters to Europe and NATO, and it was vital President Putin’s ambitions fail in Ukraine, the leaders agreed.” In a post on X, President Zelensky conveyed his gratitude to Sir Keir and the British populace “for their unwavering support that continues to save Ukrainian lives.” This phone call occurred after Sir Keir’s attendance at a summit of the Joint Expeditionary Force in Estonia, where leaders deliberated on assistance for Ukraine. The aforementioned defence coalition comprises the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland. Downing Street indicated that the group “underscored the importance of matching their words with concrete action,” encompassing additional sanctions on the “shadow fleet” of vessels utilized by Russia for oil exports, the expedited provision of lethal aid, and backing for Ukraine’s defence industrial base.