Sunak meets Zelenskyy at European Political Community Summit

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has met with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the European Political Community (EPC) Summit in Moldova.

The second meeting of the EPC entailed the gathering of 45 nation-states. Having been created after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EPC first met back in October 2022.

The EPC is an intergovernmental forum originally proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron in the European Parliament on the ninth of May 2022. Crucially Macron proposed that the forum would be open to European countries outside of the EU, such as Britain and Western Balkan states seeking to join the EU.

Previously, Sunak and Zelenskyy met at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima. With a common interest in upholding the rules-based international order, the G7 stand united in their opposition to Russia's attempt to invade Ukraine. Moreover, the G7 has been reinvigorated in its purpose as a leading club of liberal democratic nations following the invasion.

On the agenda between the two leaders were a variety of issues. Zelenskyy updated Sunak on the current battlefield situation in Ukraine, and the two conversed on the best ways the international community can support Ukraine's counter-offensive.

Perhaps most notably, Sunak made clear to the Ukrainian President Britain's support for Ukraine's membership of NATO.

Whilst Ukraine is a NATO partner country, it is not a formal member. Accordingly, the international response from Western powers like Britain has been limited to the supply of arms. Having committed £4.6 billion in military assistance to Ukraine so far, Britain has been second only to the United States as a supplier of arms to Ukraine. In comparison, the United States has committed $38 billion during the Biden administration.

If Ukraine is to become a full NATO member, that will mean future invasions could lead to more direct involvement under article five of the NATO founding treaty which specifies a commitment to collective defence amongst all members.

Britain is not alone in supporting Ukraine's future membership of NATO. The commitment of NATO members to Ukraine's future membership after the war is over has been highlighted by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg.

The meeting between Sunak and Zelenskyy comes ahead of the NATO leaders summit next month in Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.

The enlargement of NATO after the cold war has been a point of tension between Russia and the West. Moreover, Putin's decision to invade Ukraine has only compounded the drive to enlarge NATO.

This is despite the fact that NATO enlargement has been identified as a reason why the Ukraine war eventually broke out in the first place. For example, John Mearsheimer, Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, has argued that NATO enlargement is the "taproot of the trouble" when it comes to Ukraine.

Finland has officially joined NATO having applied following the invasion last year. Sweden has also agreed to join and is awaiting the end of the accession process to join as a formal member.

However, one area of friction has been on whether military jets will be supplied to Ukraine. Naturally, Zelenskyy seeks the provision of military jets to allow Ukrainian forces to take greater control in the air against Russian forces.

However, the British government has stopped short of supplying jets. Whilst the United States has permitted Western allies to supply Ukraine with US-made F-16 fighter jets, British forces do not fly that type of jet.

However, the British government have committed to the training of Ukrainian pilots. Due to start in the forthcoming weeks, Sunak updated Zelenskyy on plans to start the training.

The two leaders also discussed the Ukrainian economy. Later this month the Ukrainian Recovery Conference is due to be held in London. Sunak updated Zelenskyy on preparations for the event which the PM hopes will "bring together leading businesses and entrepreneurs" in a bid to find ways to support the future economic recovery of Ukraine.