Rishi Sunak has made his first diplomatic call as the U.K.'s new prime minister, choosing to deliver a message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and promising to write a new chapter in the countries' relations.
On Tuesday, Zelensky tweeted that he had an "excellent conversation" with Sunak and thanked the new leader for the U.K.'s support amid the war in Ukraine.
"We agreed to write a new chapter in 🇺🇦-🇬🇧 relations but the story is the same—full support in the face of Russian aggression," Zelensky wrote. "I appreciate PM's first call to Ukraine. And always grateful for the support of the 🇬🇧 people."
Just hours earlier, Sunak officially took over as Britain's 57th prime minister, quickly forming his own cabinet and delivering his first speech as the new leader. Sunak won the race to lead the Conservative Party this week after his predecessor, Liz Truss, resigned from the position just 45 days after replacing Boris Johnson. Truss was the shortest-serving U.K. prime minister in history.
On Tuesday, Sunak said it was a "privilege" to speak to Zelensky and reiterated the nation's stance regarding Ukraine, saying that both Zelensky "and the Ukrainian people can count on the U.K.'s continued solidarity and support."
"We will always stand with Ukraine," Sunak said on Twitter.
In his daily address to the nation, Zelesnky said that he believes Britain's "leadership in defending democracy and freedom will continue to strengthen further" and that he invited his new counterpart to visit Ukraine.
Johnson, who stepped down in September, had been one of Zelensky's closest allies since Russia's invasion began on February 24, visiting Ukraine several times. He was described by Zelensky as a "big friend" of Ukraine.
Back in July, the Ukrainian president said he and Johnson were in contact every other day and that the two connected beyond just a "bureaucratic way."
"I was able to call him once a day every other day," Zelensky told Piers Morgan in an interview. "When the situation became easier after the occupation of Kyiv, we have been in contact on a weekly basis. Not like having a conversation once a month or once every six months."
Sunak, who is the first U.K. prime minister of color, is entering office as the country confronts major economic and political difficulties.
In his first public statement, the 42-year-old former Treasury chief said, "The United Kingdom is a great country, but there is no doubt we face a profound economic challenge."
"We now need stability and unity, and I will make it my utmost priority to bring our party and our country together," Sunak said on Monday.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Katherine Fung is a Newsweek reporter based in New York City. Her focus is reporting on U.S. and world politics. ... Read more
