President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, Yvette Cooper, who is visiting Ukraine on her official first trip.
The Head of State congratulated Yvette Cooper on her appointment and thanked her for providing shelter in her home to a Ukrainian family from the Kyiv region.
“We are very proud that you chose to make your first trip precisely to Ukraine. Thank you sincerely. This is a signal from the United Kingdom and from your entire nation. We are grateful for your strong support to your Government, to you personally, and of course to Prime Minister Starmer,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs assured of continued support for Ukraine and announced the allocation of GBP 142 million to help the country prepare for winter. She stressed that Britain will stand with Ukraine until peace is achieved and the country is rebuilt after the war.
“For me, in my first trip as Foreign Secretary of State, it was most important to come right here, to show our unwavering support for Ukraine and to thank you and the Ukrainian people for your resilience, strength, and courage in the face of Russian aggression. We know you are doing this for all of us, because your security is our security as well,” she said.
The President expressed particular gratitude to the United Kingdom for today’s announcement of a new sanctions package against Russia. It includes 70 tankers, 27 companies, manufacturers and suppliers of Russia’s defense industry, and three individuals. The parties discussed the importance of further strengthening sanctions against Russia, in particular by introducing additional restrictions on the Russian energy sector.
The meeting also focused on the development of security guarantees, with particular emphasis on a strong Ukrainian army. They discussed continued defense support and the implementation of the agreement on the production in the UK of Ukrainian-designed interceptor drones. Special attention was given to strengthening air defense and long-range capabilities.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Yvette Cooper coordinated their next steps within the Coalition of the Willing and discussed preparations for events planned during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.