Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the UK’s support for Ukraine “will not waver” and the upcoming change of prime minister will not “change that dynamic”, during his final visit to Kyiv while in office. The outgoing Prime Minister met President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, hours after Russian strikes killed two people and injured six, including a teenager. He also pledged 300 million euros (£255 million) to help fund a squadron of advanced Swedish Gripen fighter jets, strengthening Ukraine’s air defences while supporting around 5,000 UK jobs.
Transition of Power Unlikely to Alter UK-Ukraine Relations
Sir Keir’s visit came on his final full day as Labour leader. Andy Burnham will take over the party leadership at a special conference in London on Friday before entering Downing Street on Monday. The handover of power would not change the relationship between the two nations, Sir Keir said at a press conference at Mr Zelensky’s official ceremonial residence. “The fact that there will be a new prime minister in the United Kingdom, in the days to come, doesn’t change that dynamic at all. The resolve of the United Kingdom remains the same, it will not waver,” he stated.
He added that he said this “with real confidence because it has not wavered since the outbreak of this conflict,” noting intra- and cross-party unity and that the “Ukrainian flag still flies above Downing Street.” Sir Keir highlighted huge resolve across politics and among the public, as the conflict touched people’s lives in Britain through rising costs and state-backed Russian aggression.
Order of Freedom Honour and Funding for Gripen Jets
During the press conference, Sir Keir appeared moved as President Zelensky surprised him with the Order of Freedom, the highest award for a foreign national, given to only 30 others. “It really means a huge amount,” Sir Keir said. He also announced the 300 million-euro funding to deliver 16 advanced Swedish Gripen jets to Ukraine by 2029. The Government said the programme would support about 5,000 jobs across more than 50 UK companies involved in the global Gripen supply chain, including Saab UK in Fareham, Hampshire, and Leonardo UK in Edinburgh.
The Gripen aircraft can be used for air-to-air combat, ground strikes and reconnaissance missions, and ministers said they would help modernise Ukraine’s air force and boost its capability to defend against Moscow’s unrelenting aerial attacks. The two leaders “agreed that the increase in attacks on Kyiv in recent weeks was despicable,” according to a Downing Street read-out of their bilateral meeting, in which Sir Keir reiterated he was “certain” UK support for Ukraine would continue.
Zelensky Expresses Confidence in Continued Strong Relations
Asked how five UK prime ministers since the war started had affected his relations with government, Mr Zelensky said he had built “strong relations” with all of them. He hoped to build “new strong relations” with the next prime minister and wanted a meeting “as soon as possible.” When asked if he was concerned about changes of leadership in the UK and in France next year, Mr Zelensky replied: “Of course I’m afraid of changes, of course we are afraid because we are in the war each day. But again the priority is the relation between nations, not just between just people. I’m sure that these relations will not change, or we have to do our best not to lose such very good relations.” He added: “I hope we will never lose strong relations with the UK during or after the war.” Sir Keir replied: “You won’t.”
Final Week Focus on Ukraine: Paris Summit and Visit to Kyiv
Sir Keir has spent much of his final week in office focused on Ukraine, travelling to Paris on Monday for a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” at which he announced the UK would join the EU’s 90 billion euro (£78 billion) loan to Kyiv. His time in office has been characterised by strong support for Ukraine, signing a 100-year partnership with the country and leading plans for a peacekeeping force to be deployed in the event of a ceasefire.
During the Kyiv trip, Sir Keir visited a residential area in the Podilskyi District, where local emergency services personnel told him it was hit by Russian strikes earlier this month. Burned-out vehicles lay scattered around a huge apartment building directly struck during an attack on the morning of July 6. Eight residents died and at least seven were injured, while 41 apartment buildings were completely destroyed and more than 250 were damaged, officials said. The Prime Minister was shown a large crater between a children’s play area and another residential building left by another strike.
He spoke to two elderly women who live close by, one of whom lives in a second-floor apartment. She told him she had “no time to run away” during the strikes. The woman said she was “really terrified”, and Sir Keir told her it was “outrageous” to attack civilians in residential areas.
Amputee Veterans Football Match
Sir Keir also visited a football ground to watch local teams made up of amputee veterans from the war. He watched as seven-a-side teams Kolos-Bureviy and Shakhtar Stalevi played a competitive friendly game, standing on the sidelines applauding and cheering on the players, and joining a moment’s silence before the match. Olena Balbek, director of strategy and sustainability at the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF), said it was “amazing” that the Prime Minister watched the match, adding: “It’s really big support, it’s great, it means the world sees us.”
