KYIV (Reuters) – British Foreign Secretary David Cameron made his first official trip abroad to wartime Kyiv, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for talks, according to a statement released by the Ukrainian leader on Thursday.
Cameron, who was recently appointed as Britain’s new foreign minister, expressed London’s support for Ukraine in a video shared by Zelenskiy’s office. The Ukrainian president expressed his gratitude for the gesture, noting that global attention has shifted away from Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia due to the current situation in the Middle East.
Zelenskiy stated, “The world is not so focused on the battlefield situation in Ukraine, and this dividing of the focus really does not help.” This show of support from Cameron comes at a crucial time for Ukraine, as the country is monitoring any signs of potential waning Western military and financial assistance following a failed counteroffensive against Russian forces.
Since the full-scale war launched by Russia in February 2022, Britain has been a steadfast ally of Ukraine. Cameron emphasized the commitment to provide moral, diplomatic, and military support for as long as necessary, stating, “We will continue to give you the moral support, the diplomatic support… but above all the military support that you need not just this year and next year, but however long it takes.” He also pledged to work with allies to ensure that the international focus remains on Ukraine.
In addition to meeting with President Zelenskiy, Cameron held talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kuleba affirmed that the UK remains dedicated to providing Ukraine with weapons and increasing co-production, as well as addressing Russian threats in the Black Sea region.
Ukraine is actively working to establish a Black Sea shipping corridor to revive its seaborne exports, despite opposition from Moscow. Russia withdrew from a U.N.-brokered deal in July, which had allowed some food exports to flow despite the ongoing conflict.
The exact date of the talks was not disclosed due to strict security measures implemented during the war. Often, details of visits by foreign dignitaries are released only after the fact.
(Reporting by Dan Peleschuk and Olena Harmash; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Gareth Jones)
