Sunak arrives in Germany for security conference

Rishi Sunak‘s plane has landed in Munich, Germany, ahead of a security summit to discuss the conflict in Ukraine. 

The Prime Minister will give a speech and meet with a number of world leaders while at the conference.

He is expected to say it is time for the West to give Ukraine ‘advanced, Nato-standard capabilities’ to defeat Russian troops and that more needs to be done to ‘boost Ukraine’s long-term security’ as Vladimir Putin‘s invasion approaches its one-year anniversary. 

It comes after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Britain, Paris and Brussels last week where he urged the West to provide F-16 fighter jets for his air force.

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak steps from his aircraft upon arrival at the airport in Munich to attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

Rishi Sunak speaks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during their bilateral meeting at the Munich Security Conference today

Mr Sunak is expected to say: ‘We need to do more to boost Ukraine’s long-term security,’ Mr Sunak is scheduled to say in his speech.

‘We must give them the advanced, Nato-standard capabilities that they need for the future.

‘And we must demonstrate that we’ll remain by their side, willing and able to help them defend their country again and again.

‘What is at stake in this war is even greater than the security and sovereignty of one nation. It’s about the security and sovereignty of every nation.’

He will add: ‘What is at stake in this war is even greater than the security and sovereignty of one nation. It’s about the security and sovereignty of every nation.

‘Because Russia’s invasion, its abhorrent war crimes and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric are symptomatic of a broader threat to everything we believe in.’

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is greeted by Britain’s ambassador to Germany Jill Gallard as he arrives at the airport in Munich to attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany

Mr Sunak is hoping to meet the French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference later today.

He is also expected to meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to talk about a deal to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Munich Security Conference will bring together like-minded top officials from around the world to discuss urgent security issues like the continuing Ukraine war and US-China relations.

US vice president Kamala Harris, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg are all expected to be there, but Russia and Iran are not invited.

Wang commented on a row between his country and the US, after Washington shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon which flew over American territory.

He denounced Washington’s handling of the incident as ‘hysterical’ and ‘absurd’, repeating Beijing’s assertion that the craft was just an unmanned civilian airship which blew off course.

Wang went on to question whether the US planned to shoot down every balloon in Earth’s skies. 

China’s Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi questioned whether the US planned to shoot down every balloon in Earth’s skies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged world leaders to speed up support for his nation when he addressed the conference by video link yesterday.

Kyiv fears crucial supplies will arrive too slowly to defend against new offensives.

Mr Zelensky said: ‘We need to hurry up. We need speed – speed of our agreements, speed of our delivery, speed of decisions to limit Russian potential.’

Speaking after Mr Zelensky, Mr Macron urged allies to ‘intensify our support’ for Ukraine to aid its forces in launching a counter-offensive.

Mr Scholz insisted German support was ‘designed to last’ but took a veiled swipe at other allies over faltering efforts to deliver promised tanks to Ukraine.

Berlin has vowed to send some of the most modern armaments from its military stocks but is struggling to persuade allies to do the same.

Mr Scholz said: ‘Those who can send such battle tanks should really do so now.’