We're hearing more details about the meeting due to take place between President Zelensky and the King later today.
It'll be at Buckingham Palace this afternoon, the royal residence says.
Zelensky will be greeted in the famous Palace quadrangle before being taken inside to meet the monarch.
He was last at the Palace in October 2020, alongside his wife Olena, where he met the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Analysis
Visit is significant moment for UK and Ukraine
Nick Eardley
Chief political correspondent
UK ParliamentCopyright: UK Parliament
Zelenksy addresses the House of Commons via a video feed, March 2022Image caption: Zelenksy addresses the House of Commons via a video feed, March 2022
Today’s visit will
be a highly symbolic show of support for Ukraine.
President Zelenksy
will visit Downing Street, will meet the King and will become one of only a few
leaders to address Parliament in person (remember he also spoke to MPs last
year virtually).
Rishi Sunak will
promise the UK’s commitments to Ukraine are long-term.
He’ll pledge more
training for Ukrainian forces; including training fighter jet pilots. There has
been a big debate over whether to send jets to Ukraine – but at the moment the
UK isn’t doing that.
BreakingZelensky to meet King Charles
Buckingham Palace has just announced that President Zelensky will meet King Charles III during his trip to the UK.
We'll bring you more on that when we have it.
BreakingZelensky lands in UK
PoolCopyright: Pool
A Royal Air Force plane carrying President Zelensky has just touched down at Stansted Airport.
President Zelensky's visit to the UK comes as PM Rishi Sunak commits another round of military aid to Ukraine. A Downing Street press release says Sunak will offer to:
Bolster the UK's training of Ukrainian troops, including expanding it to fighter jet pilots to ensure they can fly sophisticated Nato-standard aircrafts
Begin an immediate training programme for Ukrainian marines
Provide Ukraine with longer-range weapons, in a bid to disrupt Russia's ability to target civilian and critical national infrastructure
Implement further sanctions against Russia, including on those who helped Vladimir Putin build his personal wealth and companies profiting from the Kremlin's war machine
"I am proud that today we will expand that training
from soldiers to marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring Ukraine has a
military able to defend its interests well into the future," Sunak says of the UK's latest package.
Quote Message: It also underlines our commitment to not just provide military equipment for the short term, but a long-term pledge to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine for years to come."
It also underlines our commitment to not just provide military equipment for the short term, but a long-term pledge to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine for years to come."
Zelensky comes to UK before addressing EU leaders
Jessica Parker
Brussels Correspondent
President Zelensky's visit to the UK comes ahead of a much-rumoured trip to Brussels. He's expected to address the European Parliament tomorrow before attending a summit of EU leaders.
The news leaked out earlier this week, leading to concerns the trip could be pulled because of security concerns.
Some EU officials had spoken of how President Zelensky's next foreign trip would naturally be Brussels - so it's notable that he has first headed to London
Zelensky's third foreign visit since Russian invasion
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
It is fair to say Zelensky’s visit to the UK has come as a bit of a
surprise – similar to his sudden trip to Washington just before Christmas.
In what was his first foreign trip since Russia invaded Ukraine, he
met President Joe Biden wearing his trademark combat-green sweatshirt and boots.
He also addressed Congress and made a defiant address to US lawmakers
as he pleaded for more US military aid.
President Biden vowed to stick by Ukraine for “as long as it
takes”.
On his way back from Washington, Zelensky stopped in Poland to meet his counterpart, Andrzej Duda.
UK was the first to pledge tanks to Ukraine's war effort
Sunak has been a key supporter of the Ukrainian war
effort – as were his predecessors Liz Truss and Boris Johnson.
Last month the UK announced it would be sending 14
Challenger 2 battle tanks to Ukraine in order to help bolster its fight against Russia.
This commitment was eventually followed up by similar pledges
from other nations including the United States, Germany and other Nato
allies.
The UK has given £2.3 billion in military assistance to Ukraine so far and has pledged to match that assistance in 2023.
That funding has helped to supply equipment including anti-tank weaponry and air defence systems, some of which are designed
to bring down low-flying aircraft at short range.
Today will mark President Zelensky's third official visit since Ukraine was invaded – the first being his trip to the US just before Christmas and the second to Poland (which he did on the way home from Washington).
It’s also his first visit to the UK since 2020.
The last time Rishi Sunak met the wartime leader was when he
flew to Kyiv in November, a trip on which the PM announced a £50m aid package to Ukraine – and said
Britain knows “what it means to fight for freedom”.
Today
Sunak is announcing further support, including sending more military aid and training
Ukrainian fighter jet pilots.
Former PM Boris Johnson, who forged a close friendship with
Zelensky during his time at Downing Street, previously said he’d be honoured
to host him in the UK.
Zelensky visits UK for first time since war began – welcome
Hello and thanks for joining us on what’s shaping up to be a
busy day at Westminster.
In addition to the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs)
session at midday, there’ll be a surprise visit by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr
Zelensky – his first to the UK since the war with Russia began last February.
Zelensky's due to address Parliament as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces more British aid to Ukraine, including a move to train fighter jet pilots and implement further sanctions against Russia.
We’ll bring you all the latest on this page, including the
stand-off between Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in the Commons a little later.
Stay with us for the latest developments and analysis.
Live Reporting
Edited by Jamie Whitehead
All times stated are UK
More on Zelensky's meeting with the King
We're hearing more details about the meeting due to take place between President Zelensky and the King later today.
It'll be at Buckingham Palace this afternoon, the royal residence says.
Zelensky will be greeted in the famous Palace quadrangle before being taken inside to meet the monarch.
He was last at the Palace in October 2020, alongside his wife Olena, where he met the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine.
Visit is significant moment for UK and Ukraine
Nick Eardley
Chief political correspondent
Today’s visit will be a highly symbolic show of support for Ukraine.
President Zelenksy will visit Downing Street, will meet the King and will become one of only a few leaders to address Parliament in person (remember he also spoke to MPs last year virtually).
Rishi Sunak will promise the UK’s commitments to Ukraine are long-term.
He’ll pledge more training for Ukrainian forces; including training fighter jet pilots. There has been a big debate over whether to send jets to Ukraine – but at the moment the UK isn’t doing that.
BreakingZelensky to meet King Charles
Buckingham Palace has just announced that President Zelensky will meet King Charles III during his trip to the UK.
We'll bring you more on that when we have it.
BreakingZelensky lands in UK
A Royal Air Force plane carrying President Zelensky has just touched down at Stansted Airport.
UK's latest package cements long-term support, Sunak says
President Zelensky's visit to the UK comes as PM Rishi Sunak commits another round of military aid to Ukraine. A Downing Street press release says Sunak will offer to:
"I am proud that today we will expand that training from soldiers to marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring Ukraine has a military able to defend its interests well into the future," Sunak says of the UK's latest package.
Zelensky comes to UK before addressing EU leaders
Jessica Parker
Brussels Correspondent
President Zelensky's visit to the UK comes ahead of a much-rumoured trip to Brussels. He's expected to address the European Parliament tomorrow before attending a summit of EU leaders.
The news leaked out earlier this week, leading to concerns the trip could be pulled because of security concerns.
Some EU officials had spoken of how President Zelensky's next foreign trip would naturally be Brussels - so it's notable that he has first headed to London
Zelensky's third foreign visit since Russian invasion
It is fair to say Zelensky’s visit to the UK has come as a bit of a surprise – similar to his sudden trip to Washington just before Christmas.
In what was his first foreign trip since Russia invaded Ukraine, he met President Joe Biden wearing his trademark combat-green sweatshirt and boots.
He also addressed Congress and made a defiant address to US lawmakers as he pleaded for more US military aid.
President Biden vowed to stick by Ukraine for “as long as it takes”.
On his way back from Washington, Zelensky stopped in Poland to meet his counterpart, Andrzej Duda.
UK was the first to pledge tanks to Ukraine's war effort
Sunak has been a key supporter of the Ukrainian war effort – as were his predecessors Liz Truss and Boris Johnson.
Last month the UK announced it would be sending 14 Challenger 2 battle tanks to Ukraine in order to help bolster its fight against Russia.
This commitment was eventually followed up by similar pledges from other nations including the United States, Germany and other Nato allies.
The UK has given £2.3 billion in military assistance to Ukraine so far and has pledged to match that assistance in 2023.
That funding has helped to supply equipment including anti-tank weaponry and air defence systems, some of which are designed to bring down low-flying aircraft at short range.
The last time Sunak and Zelensky met
Today will mark President Zelensky's third official visit since Ukraine was invaded – the first being his trip to the US just before Christmas and the second to Poland (which he did on the way home from Washington).
It’s also his first visit to the UK since 2020.
The last time Rishi Sunak met the wartime leader was when he flew to Kyiv in November, a trip on which the PM announced a £50m aid package to Ukraine – and said Britain knows “what it means to fight for freedom”.
Today Sunak is announcing further support, including sending more military aid and training Ukrainian fighter jet pilots.
Former PM Boris Johnson, who forged a close friendship with Zelensky during his time at Downing Street, previously said he’d be honoured to host him in the UK.
Zelensky visits UK for first time since war began – welcome
Hello and thanks for joining us on what’s shaping up to be a busy day at Westminster.
In addition to the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) session at midday, there’ll be a surprise visit by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky – his first to the UK since the war with Russia began last February.
Zelensky's due to address Parliament as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces more British aid to Ukraine, including a move to train fighter jet pilots and implement further sanctions against Russia.
We’ll bring you all the latest on this page, including the stand-off between Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in the Commons a little later.
Stay with us for the latest developments and analysis.