UK support for Ukraine 'strong as ever' after Sunak's calls with Zelenskyy and Biden
26 October 2022, 09:10
Rishi Sunak vowed to continue Britain's steadfast support for Ukraine during his first round of calls to world leaders as prime minister.
The new PM held calls with US president Joe Biden and Ukrainian premier Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday evening after stepping into Number 10.
It comes after Mr Sunak won the Tory leadership contest on Tuesday, after all other contenders pulled out, making him the UK's third prime minister in around two months.
Following his call with President Zelenskyy, a Downing Street spokesperson said the new PM's support for Ukraine would "as strong as ever under his premiership", and that Ukraine's leader "could count on his government to stand in continued solidarity".
They added: "Both leaders agreed on the need to continue to place pressure on Putin's barbaric regime through continued economic sanctions."
Following the chat, Mr Zelenskyy said: "I believe that the partnership between our countries and the already traditional British leadership in the defence of democracy and freedom will be further strengthened.
"Ukraine and Britain have achieved the best relations so far, but there is still potential to increase our cooperation to bring more benefits to our societies. I invited the Prime Minister to visit Ukraine.
"I am grateful to everyone who helps us fight for freedom. I am grateful to everyone who fights and works for our victory. I am grateful to all our warriors who are now holding their positions, destroying the occupiers and giving Ukraine the most important feeling: a feeling of confidence in our future."
During Mr Sunak's call with Mr Biden the pair discussed the war in Ukraine and the rising power of China, as the US president called the UK his country's "closest ally".
This is despite the president pronouncing his name wrong, congratulating "Rashi Sanook" for becoming Britain's first Asian prime minister.
Mr Sunak will meet Mr Biden in the coming weeks at the G20 summit in Indonesia. A Downing Street spokesperson said "the leaders looked forward to working closely together".
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Only in recent days had Mr Biden appeared to publicly call Liz Truss's doomed economic strategy a "mistake", in a rare intervention by the US President, having previously said trickle-down economics "has never worked".
Relations between the two countries have also been somewhat strained in recent years amid ongoing UK-EU tensions over post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland, with White House concerns over the impact on peace in the region.
The issue appears to have come up in the call, according to details released by Downing Street, as well as the war in Ukraine and the rising power of China.
Downing Street's spokesperson said: "The leaders discussed the extent of UK-US cooperation, both bilaterally and in regions such as the Indo-Pacific where the AUKUS pact forms part of our efforts to enhance stability and counter China's malign influence.
"They reflected on the leading role our countries are playing in supporting the people of Ukraine and ensuring Putin fails in this war.
"The Prime Minister and President Biden also agreed on the need to ensure the people of Northern Ireland have security and prosperity through preserving the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. "The leaders looked forward to meeting in person at the upcoming G20 Summit in Indonesia."
