The Prime Minister promised more arms as part of a new package of £300million in support. To cheers from the country’s representatives, he said: “In the coming weeks, we in the UK will send you Brimstone anti-ship missiles and Stormer anti-aircraft systems.
“We are providing armoured vehicles to evacuate civilians from areas under attack and protect officials – what Volodymyr (Zelensky) mentioned to me in our most recent call – while they maintain critical infrastructure.
“I can announce today from the UK Government a new package of support totalling £300 million, including radars to pinpoint the artillery bombarding your cities, heavy lift drones to supply your forces and thousands of night vision devices.
“We will carry on supplying Ukraine, alongside your other friends, with weapons, funding and humanitarian aid, until we have achieved our long-term goal, which must be so to fortify Ukraine that no-one will ever dare to attack you again.”
The UK has already shipped or promised air-defence systems, 120 armoured vehicles, anti-ship missiles and 5,000 anti-tank missiles.
Pictures from the parliament, called the Verkhovna Rada, show MPs waving the Union Jack and holding signs saying “thank you” as they listened to Mr Johnson speak.
The UK’s ambassador to Ukraine was also in the parliament to hear the message be delivered.
Britain has promised to re-open its embassy in Kyiv in the coming days after being forced to shut it down after Putin first launched his assault against the country.
Heaping praise on the resistance to Moscow, he said: “Even in the parts of Ukraine that were temporarily captured, your populations, your indomitable populations turned out to protest, day after day.
“And though your soldiers were always outnumbered – three to one it is now – they fought with the energy and courage of lions.
“You have beaten them back from Kyiv.
“You have exploded the myth of Putin’s invincibility and you have written one of the most glorious chapters in military history and in the life of your country.
“The so-called irresistible force of Putin’s war machine has broken on the immoveable object of Ukrainian patriotism and love of country.”
