Johnson steps up pressure on Sunak, saying UK should send some of its Typhoon jets to Ukraine now Boris Johnson has issued a statement saying that the UK should send some of its Typhoon fighter jets to Ukraine now. When he was in the US last week, Johnson spoke in general terms about the need for the west to supply Kyiv with fighter planes. But in a statement released to journalists this afternoon, he says that the UK has jets that it could send and that they should be deployed now. He says: It is time to give the Ukrainians the extra equipment they need to defeat Putin and to restore peace to Ukraine. That means longer-range missiles and artillery. It means more tanks. It means planes. We have more than 100 Typhoon jets. We have more than 100 Challenger 2 tanks. The best single use for any of these items is to deploy them now for the protection of the Ukrainians – not least because that is how we guarantee our own long-term security. Today’s investment in helping Ukraine will avert instability and chaos for years to come. By helping Ukraine to push back Putin, we can make our world safer – and above all, save an innocent country from destruction. It is true that the Typhoon is a four-nation plane and that we require the approval of allies for export. But there is no reason to think that Germany or others should oppose our decision – these are UK planes. In the year since Putin’s barbaric invasion, we have learnt that he fears nothing except the heroism of the Ukrainians and western willingness to give them the tools they need. Every time we have stepped up with more military support the Ukrainians have responded and turned the tide of war. Now is the time to give them exactly what they need to finish the job. This is awkward for Rishi Sunak because only last week, in response to what Johnson was saying about the need for the west to give Ukraine fighter jets, Downing Street depicted this as unrealistic, saying it would take at least three years to train a new jet pilot. But Sunak has already moved somewhat towards the Johnson position, announcing this morning that the UK will start training Ukrainian pilots. (See 9.37am.) Early evening summary Rishi Sunak has said that “nothing is off the table” when it comes to supplying Ukraine with military equipment, including fighter jets. He made the comment at a press conference this evening hours after Boris Johnson said the UK should supply Ukraine with some of its jets now. At his joint press conference with Sunak, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, said he heard “the desire to provide fighter jets” from Sunak when they spoke in private. There is further coverage of Zelenskiy’s visit on our Ukraine live blog. A controversial and long-awaited report that claimed the government’s Prevent counter-terrorism programme needed to concentrate more on Islamist extremism has been severely criticised as “deeply prejudiced” and having “no legitimacy”. One of the Russians targeted by UK sanctions on Wednesday to mark Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s visit to London is Vladimir Putin’s alleged former lover, Svetlana Krivonogikh. Zelenskiy says he heard "desire to provide fighter jets" from Sunak Q: Boris Johnson says there is no reason why you should not get jets. What are western leaders saying to you about why they cannot give you jets? Zelenskiy says he heard from Sunak “the desire to provide fighter jets”. With Typhoons, it does not just depend on what the UK agrees, he says. (See 2.54pm.) He also says Ukrainian pilots have already trained for two-and-a-half years – implying they should be qualified to fly Nato planes soon. And that’s it. The press conference is over. Sunak says it is "totally wrong" to suggest UK has been reluctant to send military equipment to Ukraine Q: Are you personally willing to send Typhoon jets to Ukraine? Sunak says the questioner (Harry Cole from the Sun) is “totally wrong” to suggest there is any reticence about sending equipment to Ukraine. There has been very close cooperation and engagement between the UK and Ukraine. The UK has changed its strategy so it can supply more support, he says. He repeats his point about nothing being “off the table”. He says it takes three years to train a fighter pilot from scatch. But Ukraine has trained flighter pilots, so it would not take that long, he suggests. But he says you have to provide supplies. And some UK planes are produced jointly with other countries, and so their agreement is needed. The UK has been “out in front”, he says. Q: How urgently do you need jets? Zelenskiy says equipment is running out. There is a risk of Russians living on Ukrainian territory. They have just captured a nuclear plant, he says. Sunak says UK should probably have started training Ukrainian pilots earlier Q: Boris Johnson says we should be sending fighter jets now. Why are we not doing that? Sunak says the UK has continually led in terms of supplying equipment to Ukraine. And now it is training pilots. He says this should “probably” have started a long time ago, because the UK has a longstanding training arrangement with Ukraine. A reporter from BBC Ukraine goes next. She starts by giving Zelenskiy a hug. Q: When will you supply equipment to Ukraine? Sunak says his conversations with Zelenskiy have focused most on protecting Ukrainians. That is why they have focused on giving air defence systems. They have also been talking about what Ukraine needs for decisive victory. He says they have talked about the need for long-range missiles. The bravery of Russian soldiers is awe-inspiring, he says. Q: When will you stop London being a centre for Russians laundering their money? Sunak says the UK has put forward the most extensive sanctions package of any country. More sanctions have been announced today. Q: [To Zelenskiy] When do you think the Russian offensive will happen? What UK jets do you need? And what will happen if you don’t get them? Zelenskiy says what Ukraine needs depends on the situation. The Russians are trying to make the Ukrainians flee. But they won’t flee. Ukraine needs air defence systems, he says. He says Nato vehicles are the best. But Ukraine only has a few of them, he says. He says he has spoken to Sunak about jets. He will be talking to EU leaders about this too. And Ukraine needs longer-range missiles too, he says. They need to push back the Russians so that people can live. As for when the offensive will start, he says Ukraine is living in a state of war anyway. He would like to have the Russians thinking about the Ukrainian counter-offensive. Sunak says "nothing off the table" when it comes to UK supplying military equipment, including jets, to Ukraine Q: [To Sunak] Can you clarify – will you give jets to Ukraine, and when? Sunak says “nothing is off the table” when it comes to giving equipment to Ukraine. The UK showed that last year. It was the first G7 nation to supply battletanks to Ukraine. Many countries followed the UK’s lead. “Of course” fighter jets are part of the conversation. That is why the UK is now training Ukrainian pilots. That process has started today, but it takes some time. Volodymyr Zelenskiy is speaking now. He is speaking in Ukrainian. He says he is glad MPs showed today that they will never betray the spirit of Ukraine. From the Wall Street Journal’s Max Colchester Rishi Sunak says 10,000 Ukrainian troops have visited Britain to be trained. And recently dozens arrived to be trained on the British tanks being sent to Ukraine. He says the dedication, courage and determination of the Ukrainians is a credit to their country. The UK will always be by your side, he tells Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Sunak says the UK is also accelerating the delivery of equipment to Ukraine. Challenger 2 tanks will be in use in Ukraine next month, he says. And today he has agreed to expand the training programme, he says. He says: We must arm Ukraine in the short term. But we must bolster Ukraine for the long term. It must never be left vulnerable again, he says. Russia must see that their tactics “are only solidifying western resolve”. The press conference is starting now.