Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address MPs on Tuesday
(Picture: AP)Ukraine’s President will give a “historic address” to MPs on Tuesday by video link.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle granted Volodymyr Zelensky’s request to read a statement to the House of Commons at 5pm, on what will be the 13th day of the conflict.
Sir Lindsay said: “Every parliamentarian wants to hear directly from the president, who will be speaking to us live from Ukraine, so this is an important opportunity for the House.
“Thanks again to our incredible staff for working at pace to make this historic address possible.”
British parliamentarians will be able to watch the speech on screens installed overnight above either side of the chamber, House of Commons officials said.
More than 500 headsets will be made available to enable MPs to hear a simultaneous translation in English.
There will be no questions at the end of the address to Mr Zelensky, who is reportedly at risk of assassination by pro-Russian groups in Kyiv.
Mr Zelensky could ask for more arms to help Ukraine and repeat his plea for a no-fly zone.
The UK and Nato allies have consistently ruled out policing Ukraine’s skies.
Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said any third party involvement in a no-fly zone would be seen as an act of war, with many fearing it could escalate and broaden the conflict.
During diplomatic meetings on Monday, Boris Johnson agreed with allies that more defensive support needs to be given to Ukraine.
The Prime Minister met his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte at Downing Street, with No 10 saying they agreed to “continue to support Ukraine economically, diplomatically and with defensive equipment”.
Later, British, German, French and US leaders spoke via videolink and agreed on the need to “isolate” Mr Putin, according to Downing Street.
Mr Johnson stressed to Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz that the “goal must be ensuring Putin’s failure in this act of aggression”, No 10 said.
Mr Zelensky addressed MEPs in the European Parliament last week and on Saturday gave a virtual message to the US Senate.
It comes as the West continues to apply pressure in the form of hard sanctions against Russia in a bid to force Moscow to withdraw from the conflict.
Announcing a further £175 million of UK aid for Ukraine on Monday, Mr Johnson said Kyiv’s friends needed to create a “coalition” of support – humanitarian and economic, as well as militarily – to ensure Mr Putin’s “brutal” invasion fails.
“The president of Russia is plainly doubling down,” he told a press conference in Downing Street.
“He has decided that he is going to continue with an all-out onslaught on centres of habitation in a way that we think is utterly repugnant. It’s clear that we’re going to have to do more.”
