British lawmakers gave a standing ovation to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday as he gave a historic address before the House of Commons and appealed for more aid against Russia’s invasion of his country.
Members of Parliament took to their feet both before and after Zelenskyy’s speech, delivered from Kyiv via video link and live translation.
It was the first time any foreign leader has addressed the House of Commons directly, according to the BBC.
He told of his country’s pain and suffering after nearly two weeks of war, during which time hundreds of Ukrainian civilians have been killed and bombs have rained down on cities. Ukraine does not want to lose “what is ours,” just as Britain once felt as it fought back against Nazi Germany, he said,
“We will not surrender, we will not lose, we will go to the end. We will fight to the end at sea, in the air. We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost,” Zelenskyy said, echoing a famous 1940 wartime address by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
“We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets.”
Zelenskyy also thanked Britain for its support but asked for the U.K. to further intensify sanctions, including making Ukraine’s skies safe and designating Russia as a terrorist state.
Western leaders have resisted calls for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which national security officials have warned risks direct military conflict with Russia that could escalate into a war between nuclear-armed superpowers.
The United States and Britain announced Tuesday that they would ban Russian oil imports, increasing the economic pressure on the Kremlin.