In Odesa, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the newly appointed Secretary of State for Defense of the United Kingdom John Healey. The meeting was also attended by Chief of the Defense Staff of the United Kingdom Tony Radakin.
The Head of State noted that John Healey made his first working visit in his new position to Ukraine.
"Thank you for your decision to visit Odesa on Ukrainian Navy Day. I appreciate the strong support of our country during this war. I had my first phone call with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and look forward to our meeting on the sidelines of the NATO Summit," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
The President highlighted the defense cooperation with the United Kingdom, which enables our warriors to defend Ukraine both at sea and on land, particularly thanks to long-range weapons.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the implementation of the security agreement and the preparation for signing a new document on cooperation between the two countries with a term of 100 years, as well as bilateral cooperation and meeting our country's urgent needs for weapons and ammunition.
Special attention was paid to preparations for the anniversary NATO Summit in Washington and the European Political Community summit.
John Healey emphasized that the United Kingdom will continue to support Ukraine.
"You have the firmest friend of Ukraine in the United Kingdom. We have the capabilities to step up support for Ukraine," he stated.
The President, together with the UK Secretary of State for Defense, also listened to a report from Commander of the Ukrainian Navy Oleksiy Neizhpapa on the operational situation in the Black Sea.
