Wes Streeting has made his first visit to Ukraine since becoming Defence Secretary, meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to discuss joint efforts against Russian ballistic threats.
Discussions on Defense Cooperation
In a social media post, Zelensky said they discussed how London and Kyiv could jointly protect people facing "ballistic threats" from Russia. The post included a video of the two shaking hands and sitting down for talks.
Zelensky wrote: "It was a pleasure to welcome Wes Streeting to Kyiv for the first time. We appreciate that his visit comes right after yet another Russian attack on our people." He briefed Streeting on the consequences of the attack and Ukraine's needs as Russia seeks to ramp up ballistic missile production ahead of winter.
Key Topics: Coproduction and Sanctions
They discussed UK help in protecting cities and communities, including securing scarce defensive equipment. Opportunities for coproduction of certain weaponry were also on the agenda, as both nations possess strong battle-proven capabilities. Sanctions against Russian enterprises involved in missile production were discussed as well.
Zelensky added: "Every effort to undermine Russia's war machine and its bet on ballistic terror matters." He thanked the UK, King, Prime Minister Andy Burnham, and the British people for their unwavering support.
Context: New Leadership
Streeting was named Defence Secretary last month when Andy Burnham became Prime Minister. Burnham has hosted Zelensky, taking him to a naval base in Portsmouth, where he said: "You are the first leader I have welcomed in person since taking office, and that is no accident. It is intended to send a very clear message: we are with Ukraine 100%."
During that visit, Burnham announced Britain would hand over intellectual property behind its Stone Cloak signal-jamming system, allowing Ukraine to produce the technology at scale. The device helps drones hit their targets and save lives.
