Yuri Kobzar13:59, 16.01.25

Today, Keir Starmer makes his first visit to Kyiv as British Prime Minister.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is visiting Kyiv . In the morning, a Russian drone was spotted over the Mariinsky Palace, where he was supposed to meet with the Ukrainian president, and Ukrainian air defenses worked on it, The Guardian reports.

As the publication notes, the roar of the anti-aircraft systems could be clearly heard within the walls of the palace.

“The aircraft, possibly a Russian decoy, was seen and heard over the Mariinsky Palace, not far from the Presidential Office. It is not yet known whether the drone was shot down,” the publication says.

Starmer and Zelensky are expected to sign a defence partnership deal between the two countries amid concerns that the US could begin to withdraw its support. The two leaders are also set to discuss security guarantees Britain could offer Ukraine after the war, including the possibility of deploying British troops as part of a peacekeeping force.

The Guardian adds that Starmer had in fact already visited Kyiv in February 2023, but at that time he was still the leader of the opposition, not the government. At that time, he assured Zelensky that if his party came to power, Britain’s policy of supporting Ukraine would remain unchanged.

(C)UNIAN 2025