Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s invoking of the Churchillian legend to appeal for British help in repelling the Russian invasion of Ukraine was irresistible for most of the front pages on Wednesday.
The Ukrainian president’s unprecedented video vow to “fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets” brought MPs to their feet to applaud – an equally unprecedented ovation in the Commons chamber where Britian’s wartime leader made his some of his most acclaimed orations.
The Mail declares him a “Commons hero” and uses one of his most defiant lines as the headline: “We will fight until the end”.
Wednesday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/wWSbcvi1Re
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) March 8, 2022
The Express also salutes Zelenskiy’s “inspirational” and “historic” Commons speech with the headline: “We’ll fight in forests, fields and on shores”.
Tomorrow's front page: We'll fight in forests, fields, and on shores#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/hn4XKRnHFD
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) March 8, 2022
The Guardian carries a picture of the packed chamber on its front pages and the headline “We will fight until the end, at sea, in the air. We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost”, although it leads with “‘Blow to Putin’: Britain and US ban Russian oil”.
Guardian front page, Wednesday 9 March 2022: 'Blow to Putin': Britain and US ban Russian oil pic.twitter.com/BO3rRJ9uNg
— The Guardian (@guardian) March 8, 2022
Inside, columnist Zoe Williams notes the incongruity of MPs clapping: “What a powerful shock it was to see the chamber on its feet and clapping. You become so used to politics as theatre, and suddenly the actors are also devastated, also mystified as to what comes next.”
The FT also likes the economic warfare angle and has the headline “US bans Russian oil as shelling forces Ukraine to halt fresh evacuation bid”.
FT UK: US bans Russian oil as shelling forces Ukraine to halt fresh evacuation bid #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/JbuzBRB4NZ
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) March 8, 2022
The Mirror’s headline is “We will never surrender”, although that is one famous Churchill line that Zelenskiy didn’t actually use.
Tomorrow's front page: We will never surrender #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/aRS5ARccBn pic.twitter.com/tRiV7mOdBN
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) March 8, 2022
The Times uses a picture of the Commons chamber but leads with the suggestion by Poland – since quashed by the Americans – that Zelenskiy’s government could be given its old Soviet-era MiG jets. “Ukraine to get Nato jets”, its splash head reads.
TIMES: Ukraine to get NATO jets #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/J50eNEL3zX
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) March 8, 2022
The Telegraph also leads with that story – “Poland offers fighter jets for Ukraine” – and inside has a sketch saying that “in a Parliament full of wannabe Winstons, it was humbling to encounter the real thing”.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 8, 2022
'Poland offers fighter jets for Ukraine'#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4O6L2Y pic.twitter.com/Z8tySQbGue
The Scotsman uses another nice twist on the 1940 imagery with “Zelensky invokes Churchill in Ukraine’s darkest hour”, while the i splash headline is “We will fight in the forests and on the streets” and the Metro has “Hear hear hero” over a picture of MPs giving their standing ovation.
Tomorrow's Paper Today 📰
— Metro (@MetroUK) March 8, 2022
HEAR HEAR HERO
🔴 Standing ovation for Ukraine leader's historic speech to MPs#tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/fgeZT8iJiT
The Sun has a small teaser to the Zelenskiy story but leads with a story about a young Coldstream guardsman who has supposedly gone off to fight for Ukraine: “Queen’s guard AWOL to fight Vlad”.
Tomorrow's front page: A teenage Coldstream Guardsman has abandoned his post protecting the Queen to fight Mad Vlad's invaders in Ukraine https://t.co/5wNINnzDAv pic.twitter.com/84LWNjdF3x
— The Sun (@TheSun) March 8, 2022
And the Star has what it claims is an exclusive interview with the former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, whose brother Vitali is the mayor of Kyiv. Wladimir says he is preparing to fight with weapons for his city. “Biggest fight of my life”, the headline reads.
Tomorrow's Daily Star front page: Biggest fight of my lifehttps://t.co/cKrfzBDZrV pic.twitter.com/0IYQj4V5fA
— Daily Star (@dailystar) March 8, 2022
• This article was amended on 9 March 2022. An earlier version incorrectly said Wladimir Klitschko was the mayor of Kyiv, rather than his brother Vitaly.
