World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley writes that Zelensky has changed the perception of Ukraine, transforming it from a war-fighting state into one with the tools to win and provide security in the Middle East and beyond.
Instead of simply asking for outside help to fight Russia's all-out war, Zelensky arrived at Westminster with an iPad to show real-time footage of the battlefield in Ukraine. In the footage, his forces were able to shoot down "87 to 90 percent" of drone and missile attacks, most of them using domestically produced weapons.
Today, many of his Ukrainian drone experts are already working in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and another 34 experts are heading to Kuwait. These Gulf states have benefited from technology developed by Kiev during the war specifically to target Iranian missiles and drones fired at them.
His message is clear: you can't live without us, just as we can't live without you. At the top of the list of thanks he wanted to express was Britain. Last year, the UK and Ukraine signed a 100-year cooperation agreement.
He presented the British king with a top-secret device that can display real-time information on all drone strikes, infantry operations, incoming missile attacks and long-range air strikes in Russia. He then went to Parliament and was greeted by a long ovation from MPs.
Meanwhile, on his way back from a meeting with the British king, Trump was fiercely denigrating and ridiculing Britain and its Prime Minister Starmer.
This is not the first time a US president has said he is "disappointed" in Starmer. Starmer refuses to participate in US-Israeli military operations in Iran.
In the eyes of European countries, Trump has been seen as an erratic and unreliable ally, and he has threatened to invade Canada and Greenland. He also forced NATO members to purchase U.S. weapons supplies to Ukraine and stopped all military aid to Ukraine.
Europe believes that Trump sided with Russia in the so-called "peace negotiations" between Ukraine and Russia. Russia's top economic adviser, Kirill Dmitriev, has almost free access to Trump's special envoy Steve Witkov, and they have been discussing future business deals with Russia.
In contrast, Zelensky gave a different description: "It is up to us to decide. And here we are in this magnificent British Parliament building, which is quiet and safe, not in a shelter. On your way here, you see tree branches above the street, not a protective net against flying barrage drones. We are all here. I’m not worried about having high-speed mobile network or wireless network nearby, but I’m not worried about whether there is a strong mobile air defense force on duty nearby. This lifestyle, open spaces, ordinary streets, no underground passages, everything seems so simple and familiar, it’s almost impossible to imagine that it will end.”
Zelensky then elaborated on how his country can provide guarantees for the future of its allies, saying this is the duty of the current generation of leaders. He said: "We must ensure the safety of our people, including safety on the streets, safety in our homes, and protect our culture, and truly respect the rights and safety of our people, as well as national security proven through war."
Trump has said many times that Ukraine is not important to the United States and that the war between the United States and Europe is separated by a vast and beautiful ocean.
Zelensky responded: "We firmly believe that even if we are far away from human suffering or shared dangers, separated by an ocean, we have a responsibility to take action."
