Keir Starmer gets ANOTHER medal on farewell visit to Kyiv as outgoing PM unveils £255m for Ukrainian fighter jets and says UK backing ‘will not waver’ under Andy Burnham
Keir Starmer received Ukraine’s highest foreign national award during his farewell visit to Kiev today.
The outgoing Prime Minister, who will be replaced by Andy Burnham in Downing Street on Monday, was awarded the Order of Freedom in the Ukrainian capital.
Ukrainian President Voldimyr Zelensky looked emotional when he surprised him with the award, which was given to just 30 people, and Sir Keir said: ‘It really means a lot.’
It came just days after Sir Keir was awarded France’s highest honor, the Legion d’honneur, by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris for his work on Ukraine and European security.
Sir Keir and Mr Zelensky met in Kiev on Thursday, just hours after a series of Russian attacks that killed two people and injured six others, including a teenager.
During his last visit to Ukraine while in office, the Prime Minister vowed that Britain’s support for the country in its fight against Russia would ‘not waver’ when he handed it over to Mr Burnham.
He also used the trip to pledge £255 million to fund the delivery of a fleet of 16 advanced Swedish Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine by 2029 to strengthen the country’s air defenses and support around 5,000 jobs in the UK.
Sir Keir’s visit came on his last full day as Labor leader; Mr Burnham will take over the leadership of the party at a special conference in London on Friday before becoming Prime Minister on Monday.
Keir Starmer received Ukraine’s highest award given to foreign nationals during his farewell visit to Kiev today.
Outgoing Prime Minister and Volodymyr Zelensky inspected the Memorial Wall of Ukrainian Martyrs in the country’s capital
At a press conference at Mr Zelensky’s official residence on Thursday, Sir Keir said: ‘The fact that the UK will have a new Prime Minister in the coming days does not change this dynamic at all. ‘England’s determination remains the same, it will not be shaken.’
“I say this with real confidence because it has not wavered since the beginning of this conflict,” he added, noting that there was intra-party and inter-party unity on the issue and that “the Ukrainian flag is still flying in Downing Street.”
Asked if he was disappointed not to see the end of the conflict before leaving No 10, Sir Keir told reporters: ‘This is not about me, it’s about a country, Ukraine, that has faced an aggressor in its fifth year.’
The government said the delivery of the new fighter jets to Ukraine would support around 5,000 jobs at more than 50 British companies involved in the global Gripen supply chain, including Saab UK in Fareham and Leonardo UK in Edinburgh.
Gripen aircraft can be used for air-to-air combat, ground strikes and reconnaissance missions, while ministers said they would help modernize Ukraine’s air force and increase its ability to defend against Moscow’s relentless air attacks.
According to a reading of their bilateral meeting in Downing Street, Sir Keir and Mr Zelensky “agreed that the increase in attacks on Kiev in recent weeks was despicable” and the Prime Minister reiterated that he was “certain” the UK’s support for Ukraine would continue.
Asked how the five British Prime Ministers have affected his relations with the government since the start of the war, Zelensky said that he had established ‘strong relations’ with all of them.
He added that he hoped to establish ‘new and strong relationships’ with the next Prime Minister and wanted to meet ‘as soon as possible’.
Prime Minister and President of Ukraine watched the wreath laying in Kiev
The visit comes after more deaths in Ukraine’s capital due to Russian drone strikes
Sir Keir arrives in Ukraine’s capital just days ahead of handover to Andy Burnham
Arriving in Ukraine by night train, Sir Keir was welcomed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yevhen Perebyinis and Director General of State Protocol Olena Yalova.
Together with Mr. Zelensky, he inspected the Ukrainian Martyrs’ Memorial Wall and participated in the wreath-laying ceremony.
Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram that two people were killed and six others were injured, including a 16-year-old teenager, in attacks that took place throughout the night.
The Russian defense ministry claimed that Ukraine’s military facilities were attacked.
The trip comes after Sir Keir’s hopes of becoming Prime Minister were dashed as England lifted the World Cup and the team lost to Argentina last night.
Kiev is facing political turmoil of its own after Mr. Zelensky fired his defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov.
