Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the UK on Wednesday, hat in hand, literally. The leader of the war-torn country interrupted his speech in the historic 900-year-old Westminster Hall to present the Speaker of the House of Representatives Lindsey Hoyle with the helmet of one of the Ukrainian fighter aces with the inscription: " Now give us wings to protect her."

Speaking in English and dressed in the familiar khaki uniform, Zelenskiy called for modern jet fighters, but he gave parliamentarians something to think about beyond jets.. Bloomberg Opinion columnist Teresa Rafael writes about this in her column..

Zelenskiy made Britain the first stop of a second overseas trip since Russia's invasion nearly a year ago in recognition of Britain's key role in supporting Ukraine since the early days of the war. He publicly mentioned Boris Johnson's name, and it was right. Despite his many shortcomings, Johnson understood that the struggle in Ukraine was also a struggle against authoritarianism in general, a struggle to preserve the rules-based post-war order, and that the very credibility of the West depended on it..

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Johnson has accelerated the delivery of arms and other support to Ukraine, making the UK the second largest supplier of military aid after the US and the head coach of Ukrainian soldiers. He has built a unique relationship with Zelenskiy, making four visits to Kyiv since 2022.. There were fears that current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak did not share Johnson's enthusiasm for the case.. As Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sunak supported sanctions against Russia, but stressed that they are " More focused on balancing accounts and putting out domestic fires, will Sunak play a key role in supporting the public and the western coalition as these costs rise?

Most of these fears were allayed when Sunak became prime minister.. He made his first foreign visit to Kyiv, spearheaded additional defense assistance and made Britain the first Western country to send main battle tanks, although the number of Challenger-2 tanks is largely symbolic..

Wednesday's visit dispelled any doubt that Sunak would " At this stage, Sunak did not promise aircraft, but offered Ukrainian pilots training on NATO-standard aircraft.. A new package of sanctions against Russian legal entities and individuals was also announced..

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However, the Ukrainian leader needed to enlist broad political, public and media support to support his struggle.. The genius of Zelensky's speech was that it went straight to the heart of the nation. He made British legislators feel like his mission was also in their DNA.. He linked Britain's long history to his nation's existential struggles, Britain's sense of national character to Ukraine's existential cause.. He said warm words of gratitude to King Charles III for his support when he was still the Prince of Wales. But not without perspective: "

Zelenskiy recounted his visit to Winston Churchill's military offices long before the Russian invasion, when he was invited to sit in a chair where a World War II hero made life and death decisions at a moment of historic danger to Britain. According to him, only now can he understand what the feeling he experienced meant.. " It's the feeling of bravery taking you through the most incredible difficulties to eventually reward you with victory,"

What will they get at the end of this long, expensive and bloody war? He had no doubt that the result would be the victory of Ukraine. But he also saw the prospect of something more.. Victory, he says, will change the world. He stressed: " It will be a victory over the very idea of \u200b\u200bwar." This will be a message to any aggressor that an attack on the international order will lead to defeat.

It doesn't mean this is the war that will end all wars. Evil is part of human nature, he admitted, and other wars will happen.. But, he told legislators, "

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In terms of purely national interests, a Ukrainian victory would give the UK the opportunity to benefit economically from increased trade and participation in the recovery. And this would significantly improve the international prestige of the United Kingdom..

National myths can be dangerous, as Putin demonstrated by unleashing this war. In recent years, the UK has waged a fake war for " She divided the country, distracted its leaders, made it poorer and often feels worse. On the battlefields near Kharkiv and Bakhmut, as well as in everyday reality and Zelensky's pleas for help, we see a reminder of what it is like when true freedom is at stake.. "

Now he will go with his message to Paris and Brussels, but, having first arrived in Britain, he simultaneously asked for help and offered a kind of redemption..