Starmer makes final trip to Ukraine, shows solidarity
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits Ukraine for the last time as PM, expressing solidarity during ongoing drone attacks.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made his final visit to Ukraine before leaving office, arriving in Kyiv just hours after a Russian drone attack killed at least two people and injured five others. He was greeted by Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister as he stepped off the overnight train. Starmer met President Volodymyr Zelensky at the city's memorial wall, where the two leaders paid their respects. During the visit, Starmer announced 255 million pounds of new funding for Ukraine and was awarded the Order of Freedom, Ukraine's highest honour for foreign nationals. He also received France's Legion d'honneur earlier in the week for his work on Ukraine, particularly for leading the so-called coalition of the willing among allied nations.
Starmer used the trip to underline the UK's continued support, saying: "The support of the United Kingdom for this cause will never change." He acknowledged the war's impact on the UK, including higher cost of living and defence spending. The visit comes as Starmer prepares to hand over to Andy Burnham on Monday. Burnham has indicated he backs Ukraine, but his broader foreign policy thinking remains unclear.
Separately, Ukraine saw protests in several cities after President Zelensky sacked his popular defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, after only six months in the role. Fedorov, credited with driving drone innovation and defence reform, had clashed with the army chief. Zelensky said the two men could not work together and he had to make a choice. The protests reflect public unease over the decision.
Starmer's trip is widely seen as an attempt to cement his legacy as a staunch ally of Ukraine, following the example of his predecessors Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. Critics have questioned whether the farewell tour of European allies amounts to a taxpayer-funded job interview, but supporters argue it reinforces Britain's international standing.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Ukraine on his last international trip, meeting President Zelensky and reaffirming UK support. | ||||
| Russian forces launched ballistic missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, including Kyiv, causing multiple casualties. | · | |||
| President Zelensky sacked defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov after six months, leading to domestic criticism and protests. | · | · | ||
| Starmer became the first British prime minister to receive France's Legion d'honneur. | · | · | · | |
| Ukraine carried out over 100 attacks on Russian shipping in the Sea of Azov this month. | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News focused heavily on the military context of the visit, including detailed analysis of Russian drone and missile attacks on Kyiv and broader war developments. It also highlighted the sacking of Ukraine's defence minister and the political uncertainty around Andy Burnham's foreign policy. The tone was analytical and legacy-focused, with a correspondent noting Starmer wants this to be his legacy.
- “He arrived following an overnight journey and was greeted by Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister as he stepped off the train.”
- “At least two people were killed, five others injured.”
- “He wants that to be his legacy.”
BBC ONE West provided two segments: the first at lunchtime focused on Starmer's meeting with Zelensky, the memorial wall, and his legacy message, including a direct quote from Starmer. The second evening segment added the 255 million pound funding announcement, the Order of Freedom award, and detailed coverage of the protests over the sacking of defence minister Fedorov. The tone was factual and balanced, with diplomatic correspondent analysis.
- “the two men paid their respects at the city's memorial wall.”
- “I will soon depart the stage, but this cause, your fight, and the Ukrainian people will always be in the forefront of my mind because you are fighting for us all.”
- “protests have been taking place in several Ukrainian cities after President Zelensky suddenly sacked his popular defence minister.”
ITV1 gave a brief, straightforward summary of the visit, focusing on Starmer's meeting with Zelensky and the Russian strikes in Kyiv. It did not mention the funding amount, the Order of Freedom, the Fedorov sacking, or the legacy debate. The tone was neutral and concise, typical of a lunchtime news bulletin.
- “Sir Keir Starmer has met Vladimir Zelensky on his final visit to Ukraine as Prime Minister saying the UK's cast iron support of Ukraine will always endure.”
- “He arrived in Kyiv today, just hours after a series of Russian strikes were reported in the Ukrainian capital.”
GB News framed the visit as part of Starmer's farewell tour, with a critical angle suggesting it could be a taxpayer-funded job interview for a future international role. The panel discussion debated Starmer's legacy, with some praising his handling of Ukraine and antisemitism in Labour, while others criticised his overall performance. The channel also noted the Order of Freedom and Legion d'honneur awards.
- “He received an Order of Freedom medal from Volodymyr Zelensky.”
- “critics have argued this is effectively a taxpayer-funded job interview for Sir Keir Starmer as he seeks to charm international elites in the hope maybe of securing employment in a cushy new role after life in number 10.”
- “I think history will look very kindly on him.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.