Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declared that the United Kingdom's support for Ukraine "will not waver" and that the change in prime minister will not "change that dynamic," during his final visit to Kyiv while in office. The outgoing Prime Minister met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the capital on Thursday, just hours after a series of Russian strikes killed two and injured six, including a teenager.
Transition of Power and Continued Support
Sir Keir's visit comes 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. Speaking at a press conference at President Zelensky's official ceremonial residence, Sir Keir emphasised that the transition would not alter the relationship between the two nations. "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 said.
He added, "I say that with real confidence because it has not wavered since the outbreak of this conflict," noting the cross-party unity on the issue and that the "Ukrainian flag still flies above Downing Street." Sir Keir highlighted the immense resolve across politics and among the public, as the conflict has touched people's lives in Britain through rising costs and state-backed Russian aggression at home.
Award and Reflections
Asked whether he was disappointed not to see an end to the conflict before leaving No 10, Sir Keir told reporters, "This isn't about me, it's about a country, Ukraine, that has faced an aggressor for now in the fifth year." During the press conference, Sir Keir appeared moved as President Zelensky awarded him the Order of Freedom, the highest honor for a foreign person, saying, "It really means a huge amount."
President Zelensky, when asked how having five prime ministers since the war started has affected his relations with the UK government, said he had built "strong relations" with all of them. He expressed hope to build "new strong relations" with the next prime minister and desired a meeting "as soon as possible." Earlier, after visiting Kyiv's memorial wall, Zelensky paid tribute to Sir Keir, thanking him and the UK "for their unwavering respect for our warriors" who had "made the ultimate sacrifice to defend Ukraine and all of Europe."
Final Week Focused on Ukraine
Sir Keir has spent much of his final week in office concentrating on Ukraine. He traveled to Paris on Monday for a meeting of the "coalition of the willing," where he announced that the UK would join the European Union's 90 billion euro (£78 billion) loan to Kyiv. His tenure has been characterized by strong support for Ukraine, including signing a 100-year partnership with the country and leading plans for a peacekeeping force to be deployed in the event of a ceasefire.
