Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday conferred the Order of Freedom, Ukraine's highest state honour for a foreign national, on outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his final visit to Kyiv before leaving office.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
The honour was awarded in recognition of Starmer's "outstanding personal contribution" to strengthening UK-Ukraine relations and for his support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to a presidential decree.
Zelenskyy and Starmer honour fallen soldiers
Before their bilateral meeting, Zelenskyy and Starmer visited Kyiv's Wall of Remembrance, where they paid tribute to Ukrainian soldiers killed defending the country against Russia's invasion.
"I thank Keir and the United Kingdom for their unwavering respect for our warriors, for all those who gave the most precious thing for the sake of defending Ukraine and all of Europe," Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram.
He added that preserving the memory of those who defended Ukraine remained a national priority.
