Rishi Sunak makes surprise visit to Ukraine after launching Yemen strike

Britain commits another £2.5bn to wartorn country, as PM given Ukraine’s ‘order of freedom’

Rishi Sunak visited Ukraine on Friday to meet Volodymyr Zelensky as the UK announced it will provide £2.5bn in military aid to the country over the coming year.

It comes just hours after the prime minister authorised RAF strikes against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen, as Britain joined the US in Red Sea military action.

Mr Sunak told his cabinet about the strikes on Thursday evening. But a row has erupted over the PM’s failure to seek approval of parliament, with the Liberal Democrats, the SNP and some Labour MPs demanding the recall of the Commons.

The PM and Mr Zelensky signed a new security treaty on Friday, the first of the G7 countries who agreed at last year’s Nato summit to agree stronger bilateral assurances with the country.

“This is not simply a declaration,” Mr Zelenskiy wrote on social media platform X. His chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said the agreement set out the support that London would continue to provide, including intelligence sharing, medical and military training, and defence industrial cooperation.

Mr Zelensky also awarded Mr Sunak the Ukrainian order of freedom – given to Boris Johnson in 2022 – in recognising the PM’s contribution to fighting for the country’s “territorial integrity”.

No 10 said that the £2.5bn funding was the “single biggest package” given to Ukraine since the Russian invasion, and would cover long-range missiles, air defence, artillery ammunition and maritime security.

Volodymyr Zelensky and Rishi Sunak in Kyiv on Friday (PA)

Mr Sunak claimed that the new security pact with Ukraine will last “100 years or more”. The PM said it promises that if Russia ever invades again “the UK will come to your aid with swift and sustained security assurance”.

Speaking at a joint press conference, the Tory leader said: “Ukraine is not alone, and Ukraine will never be alone. Putin might think he can outlast us, but he is wrong. We stand with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes.”

The Ukrainian president thanked Mr Sunak’s “personal leadership” and said the new security agreement with Britain “lays the groundwork for our further work with our other partners”.

The Ukraine visit came as Mr Zelensky pushes allies in the West to give his country more support to fight back against Russian forces, amid fears interest in the war is flagging because of the crisis in the Middle East.

Sunak is shown damaged buildings in Kyiv ahead of his meeting with Zelensky (PA)

Around £200m of the money from the UK will be spent on drones, most of which are expected to be manufactured in the UK. Funding will also be provided for English language training in the country, No 10 said. The PM, who met Ukrainian emergency workers during the visit, also announced a further £18m in aid.

The Ukrainian leader has begun the year with a visit to several Baltic states in a bid to drum up support. Mr Zelensky has said that Ukraine needs more air defence systems to fend off Russian aerial barrages, after more than 500 drones and missiles were fired over new year.

Mr Sunak stressed the UK’s continued backing for Kyiv, and said the £2.5bn package would “provide Ukraine with the assurances it needs for the long term”. It represents an increase of £200m in British support on the sums given in the last two years.

Rishi Sunak with the Ukrainian flag as he talks to members of the public in Kyiv (PA)

Mr Sunak made his first visit to Ukraine in November 2022, weeks after entering No 10. The UK has been among the most vocal backers of Ukraine, with Mr Zelensky visiting London last year.

Labour backed the “vital” support package for Ukraine, as Sir Keir Starmer urged the need for politicians to remain united on the issue.

“We have had cross-party support for Ukraine for a very long time and we need to maintain that in the face of Russian aggression that has been going on for a long time now,” he said.

It comes amid concerns about the impact of Houthi rebel attacks on ships in the Red Sea – and the UK’s decision to join US strikes in Yemen. Mr Sunak said the move was “self-defence” aimed at protecting international shipping lanes.

The Tory leader said the Houthis attacks on ships in the Red Sea “cannot stand”, and that his government had decided to take “limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence” alongside the US.

The Labour leader has said he supports the strikes – but demanded a Commons statement “at the first opportunity” and a summary of the government’s legal position today.

Sir Keir said Mr Sunak’s government must now “set out the justification, to set out the limits and scope of the operation”.

Layla Moran, foreign affairs spokesperson for the Lib Dems, said it was “shameful” for Mr Sunak to bypass parliament. The SNP and some Labour MPs have also demanded the recall of the Commons.

Air strike in Yemen, as Sunak justifies decision to target Houthi rebels (Sky News)

The Sunak government is thought to fear the British economy could shrink in the face of the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea.

The Treasury has modelled scenarios, such as crude oil prices increasing by more than $10 a barrel and a 25 per cent rise in natural gas, according to the BBC.

Mr Sunak’s armed forces minister James Heappey played down concerns about the danger of a wider escalation in the Middle East after criticism from Russia.

The defence minister told BBC Breakfast that “allegations of escalation from the Kremlin always ring hollow”. But he conceded that there could be “nervousness” in the region.