Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the decision by some Reform UK councils to take down the Ukrainian flag was the kind of \u201csmall mistake that can break a big friendship\u201d, as he underlined the significance of strong bilateral relations.<\/p>\n
The Ukrainian president tempered his rare foray into UK domestic politics by stressing how much the two countries \u201cneed each other\u201d in the battle against Russia, which he said posed a threat not only to Ukraine<\/a> but to Britain too.<\/p>\n In an interview with the Guardian after talks with Keir Starmer<\/a>, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz in London to discuss the next steps in the conflict, he said Ukraine\u2019s military position was the strongest it had been for more than two years. \u201cRussia is not winning,\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n Merz, Zelenskyy, Starmer and Macron met in London to discuss the next steps in the conflict. Photograph: Thomas Krych\/Zuma Press\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Zelenskyy revealed that he planned to invite the king, whom he met later on Monday at Buckingham Palace, for a state visit to Ukraine as early as this year, after Charles\u2019s public show of support over personal attacks by the US president, Donald Trump, at the White House last year.<\/p>\n The Ukrainian president also disclosed he had pressed Starmer over funds from Roman Abramovich\u2019s \u00a32.4bn sale of Chelsea FC, which the government has earmarked for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine, and that he wanted the UK to be aligned with the rest of Europe<\/a> on sanctions.<\/p>\n During his visit to London, Zelenskyy attempted to reassure Britons that continuing to support Ukraine was in their national interest \u2013 after successive UK governments spent more than \u00a320bn on military, humanitarian and economic assistance since Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion in 2022.<\/p>\n \u201cBritish people helped us from the very beginning of this war, it\u2019s true. It\u2019s because of security, not only values \u2026 But it\u2019s about security in Europe. It\u2019s in the interests of the UK,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Asked whether Reform UK should put Ukrainian flags back on council buildings in a display of solidarity, after Nigel Farage\u2019s party said only the St George\u2019s and union flags<\/a> would be flown, he said: \u201cI hope they will put it back.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cI don\u2019t want to be involved in any political things, but you know, the world is so sensitive today. Sometimes little, small mistakes can break big friendship or huge contacts.<\/p>\n \u201cI think people have to not make mistakes, not to do anything which can break a friendship, and even if people do it [I would say:] \u2018OK, so you did it, please let\u2019s come back to the table, let\u2019s speak, let\u2019s understand each other.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Zelenskyy said that with Russia as a neighbour, European nations must stand together. Putin had maintained control in the country for three decades on the basis of \u201cpressure on his society and pressure on Europe\u201d rather than on economic success, he said.<\/p>\n \u2018British people helped us from the very beginning of this war,\u2019 Zelenskyy said. Photograph: David Levene\/The Guardian<\/p>\n Resistance to Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine represented a \u201cbig chance to be really independent\u201d from Moscow\u2019s influence on Europe, he added, saying: \u201cSo we can\u2019t lose each other with UK.\u201d<\/p>\n With the UK government under intense pressure to increase military spending, Zelenskyy also highlighted the importance of Ukraine\u2019s allies continuing to invest in their own defence, adding that his country would share its \u201cpriceless\u201d technological experience with them.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very important to invest not only in military, to invest in Ukrainian military \u2026 because of this war, we have such experience. There is no price of this experience. It\u2019s not about money, it\u2019s about people\u2019s lives. We will share this priceless information and experience with our allies.\u201d<\/p>\n Before a Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, next month that could prove a pivotal moment for the alliance, Zelenskyy reiterated that it would be in the interests of western allies, as well as Kyiv, for his country to join.<\/p>\n \u201cWe spoke a little bit about it with the E3 countries [France, Germany, and the UK]. They understand that today to have Ukraine in Nato, it\u2019s in the interests of Nato. Of course, it\u2019s in also the interests of us, to be a part of big alliance, and to be with our friends who helped us during the war, to strengthen Nato.\u201d<\/p>\n Zelenskyy said resistance to Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine represented a \u2018big chance to be really independent\u2019 from Moscow\u2019s influence on Europe. Photograph: David Levene\/The Guardian<\/p>\n Zelenskyy suggested that turning over the proceeds of the sale of Chelsea to Ukraine, could help fund antiballistic missiles to shoot down Russian weapons, often fired at Ukraine\u2019s energy infrastructure.<\/p>\n Officials are preparing for a possible court case<\/a> after the Russian billionaire failed to release the funds by the deadline, amid a dispute over how it will eventually be used.<\/p>\n \u201cThe prime minister told me that he\u2019s trying his best, and I know that our diplomatic teams speak about it, and of course, it\u2019s difficult moment. We need more security, and we are trying, through the Purl programme<\/a>, to buy antiballistic missiles from the United States,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are very expensive, and of course this money can help, and it\u2019s fair between us. So Russia began this war. Why not use Russian money?\u201d<\/p>\n He joked that Abramovich had not brought the money with him when they met in Kyiv last month. \u201cHe didn\u2019t bring this money. I said: \u2018We need your money.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Zelenskyy said he had asked Starmer and allies for more help \u201cclosing the sky\u201d from Russian attack and for funds to put Ukrainian soldiers on professional contracts, rather than enlisting them sometimes against their will.<\/p>\n After the UK was forced to reassure Kyiv its new sanctions policy on Russia \u2013 which allows the temporary import of Russian oil and jet fuel via third countries \u2013 did not weaken restrictions, Zelenskyy said \u201cof course\u201d he would like to see Britain and Europe closer aligned on the issue.<\/p>\n