Newly appointed British Foreign Secretary David Cameron visited Ukraine and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky to pledge further military support to the war-torn country.
The two officials met on Thursday on Cameron's first overseas trip following his return to British politics in his new position. He said that the United Kingdom would continue to provide military support to Kyiv's war effort against Russia for "however long it takes."
David Cameron Visits Ukraine
The former prime minister said he also wanted to make the trip to Kyiv his first diplomatic visit in his new position. In a video statement, Cameron told Zelensky that he admires the strength and determination of the Ukrainian people.
Cameron added that the UK would continue providing moral and diplomatic support to Ukraine "but above all, the military support that you need not just this year and next year but however long it takes."
In response to the British foreign secretary's visit, Zelensky expressed his gratitude as he continuously tried to keep the world focused on his country's battle against Moscow. This comes as many are slowly shifting their attention to the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East, as per Euronews.
In a Telegram post, Zelensky said that he had a "good meeting" with Cameron and that he was thankful to the UK for the weapons for the front, the strengthening of air defense, and the protection of his people and critical infrastructure.
The development comes as the UK has been seen as one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine in the latter's continued conflict with Russia's military forces. As of last month, the UK said that it was only second to the United States in providing military funds. It has given roughly $5.7 billion worth of assistance and helped train 30,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil.
During Cameron's visit to Kyiv, he also traveled to the southern port city of Odesa. In a statement, he said that Russia believes it can wait out the war and that the West would eventually forget Ukraine. The UK foreign secretary said this could not be further from the truth.
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Military Support for Kyiv
However, Zelensky has already acknowledged a drop in the supplies that Western allies have been providing. According to the Manila Bulletin, this was supposedly due to resources being stretched and that they needed to keep a "legal minimum" for reserve.
The Ukrainian president said that deliveries to the region have decreased, which was a reference to the 155-millimeter shells that are widely used on the eastern and southern frontlines.
The situation comes as Ukraine's summer counteroffensive failed to recapture substantial ground from entrenched Russian forces, which has led to concerns within the region. It could discourage some allies from continuing to provide military aid to Kyiv and leave it with a drawn-out conflict where Moscow would have the advantage.
During an interview on Wednesday, Zelensky told journalists that Ukraine cannot afford any form of stalemate with Russia. He said that if the current situation becomes a frozen conflict, it could force children and grandchildren to fight in the future, said the New York Times.
