Defence Secretary says UK will stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine as he meets Zelensky
The Defence Secretary and the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) have visited Kyiv, meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
It was Mr Shapps' second visit to Kyiv in two months, but the first in his new role as Defence Secretary.
Accompanied by Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Mr Shapps held meetings with his counterpart, Rustem Umerov, and made a personal commitment to continue the UK's resolute support to Ukraine as it reclaims land taken following Putin's illegal invasion.
Adm Sir Tony said: "It was a privilege to accompany the Defence Secretary to Kyiv and to meet with President Zelensky to underscore the continuity of the United Kingdom's support for Ukraine.
"We discussed new commitments of military aid that were made in Ramstein last week, which will help build Ukraine's strength and resilience through the winter and beyond. The recent strikes on the Black Sea Fleet are another example of how Ukraine retains the initiative."
He went on: "Putin has lost control of the war he started, and Russia is diminished as a consequence. This visit, together with my visits over the summer, have reinforced my conviction that Ukraine will prevail.
"The UK will remain with them every step of the way."
The UK delivered £2.3bn in military aid to Ukraine in 2022 and the Prime Minister pledged to do the same in 2023, with further support to be delivered in the coming weeks and months.
Mr Zelensky said he was 'profoundly grateful' to the Defence Secretary and the UK for providing financial, humanitarian, and military support, including crucial long-range capabilities.
The meeting between the Ukrainian president, Mr Shapps and the Chief of the Defence Staff comes a week after the UK pledged to deliver tens of thousands more artillery shells in the coming months, as part of other support ahead of winter.
Mr Shapps said: "It was an honour to meet President Zelensky in Kyiv to assure him that the UK will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, as we have since Putin illegally invaded Crimea nearly 10 years ago.
"We have trained tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, delivered hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, and provided millions of pounds of economic and humanitarian aid to help Ukraine's citizens reclaim and rebuild what has been taken from them by Putin's barbaric invasion.
"Having heard the experiences of so many Ukrainians affected by this war, including a family I hosted in my home for a year, I am committed to maintaining the UK's military support – particularly as the freezing winter weather approaches."
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