The King has praised the Ukrainian people’s “determination and strength” in the face of Russian aggression in a message marking the secondary anniversary of the full-scale invasion.
In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Charles said the country’s fightback against the “unprovoked attack on their land, their lives and livelihoods” continued to inspire. The King, who met Zelensky several times since the invasion, continued: “Despite the tremendous hardship and pain inflicted upon them, Ukrainians continue to show the heroism with which the world associates them so closely.
“Theirs is true valour, in the face of indescribable aggression. I have felt this personally in the many meetings I have had with Ukrainians since the start of the war, from President Zelensky and Mrs Zelenska, to new army recruits training here in the United Kingdom. I continue to be greatly encouraged that the United Kingdom and our allies remain at the forefront of international efforts to support Ukraine at this time of such great suffering and need.”
The King’s message came as President Zelensky sought to rally the Ukrainian people on Saturday as he declared his country would triumph.
“We have been fighting for this for 730 days of our lives. We will win on the greatest day of our lives. Any normal person wants the war to end. But none of us will allow Ukraine to end,” Zelensky told an open-air anniversary event in Kyiv, stressing that the war must end “on our terms”, with a “just” peace.
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February 24 marks two years since the Kremlin launched its attack on Ukraine, starting the biggest incursion in a European country since the Second World War.
A number of western leaders have travelled to Kyiv this weekend, including Georgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, Alexander De Croo, the Belgian prime minister, and Justin Trudeau of Canada.
They have been joined by Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, arriving shortly after a Russian drone attack struck a residential building in the southern city of Odesa, killing at least one person.
Boris Johnson, who forged a close political alliance with Zelensky during his time in office, is also visiting the Ukrainian capital and has posted a picture of himself meeting the president.
While Rishi Sunak is not part of the delegation, in a statement he vowed to continue backing Kyiv “until they prevail”, adding: “This is the moment to show that tyranny will never triumph and to say once again that we will stand with Ukraine today and tomorrow. We are prepared to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, until they prevail.”
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His message was released shortly after the government announced it would invest £245 million in producing artillery shells for Ukraine and £8.5 million in humanitarian funding.
European countries are struggling to find enough weapons and ammunition to send to Kyiv, and US help worth £47 billon is stalled due to opposition from Donald Trump’s Republican allies in Washington.
Ukrainian forces withdrew from the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka at the weekend, where they had battled a fierce Russian assault for four months despite being heavily outnumbered and outgunned. Kyiv has kept up strikes behind the front line but moved to a defensive posture amid critical shortages on the battlefield.
Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, said the UK’s latest funding commitment would help supply Ukraine with the ammunition it “desperately needs at the moment”. He also echoed concerns raised by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton, the foreign secretary, about the progress of the US funding package through Congress.
“I am concerned about the money from the United States. We won’t get that money from Congress by telling them, come on, you’ve just got to come and support Europe,” Shapps told BBC Breakfast. “We’ll get that money by I think saying it is in your self-interest America, because others are watching. A more assertive China is watching.”
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However, he said the picture in the UK was different, adding: “Parliament can be divided over all sorts of things but we are not in our support for Ukraine.”
