Zelensky travels to U.K., asks for planes to fight Russian invasion

In a surprise visit to London, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to members of Parliament and asked the country to send planes to fight off Russia’s yearlong invasion. Zelensky presented a helmet he said was from a Ukrainian pilot to the speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, that read: “We have freedom. Give us wings to protect it.”

Video transcript

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: In Britain, the King is an Air Force pilot. And in Ukraine today, every Air Force pilot is a king.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]

For us, just for us, for our families. Because they are so few, they are so precious that we, the servants of our kings, do everything possible and impossible to make the world provide us with modern planes to empower and protect pilots who will be protecting us. And I am proud of our Air Force. And I brought a present from them to you, Great Britain. Yes, please. Yes. Yes, to the speaker.

[APPLAUSE]

I will explain. It's the helmet of a real Ukrainian pilot. He's one of our most successful aces, and he's one of our kings. And the writing on the helmet reads, we have freedom. Give us wings to protect it.

[APPLAUSE]

I trust symbol will help us for our next coalition, coalition of the planes. And I appeal to you and the world with simple and yet most important words-- combat aircrafts for Ukraine, wings for freedom.