Russia-Ukraine war updates: Zelenskyy makes surprise trip to UK

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday he was en route to Britain for talks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The visit is part of a tour of several key European allies to garner military support ahead of an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces.

The Ukrainian leader landed by helicopter at Chequers, the official country retreat of British prime ministers, where he gave Sunak a bear hug. He also thanked Britain for the support it had provided to Ukraine so far.

"We're thankful from all our hearts, from Ukrainians, from our soldiers, we are thankful," Zelenskyy told Sunak. "And this is a privilege to be here."

"We, of course, will discuss very important issues, urgent support for Ukraine and security, I think not only for Ukraine, it's important for all of Europe."

Sunak, in turn, welcomed Zelenskyy to the room from which Winston Churchill made many of his famous speeches in World War II.

"In the same way today, your leadership, your country's bravery, and fortitude are an inspiration to us all. I look forward to us discussing what more we can do to support you and your country."

Britain last week became the first country to start supplying Kyiv with long-range cruise missiles. Sunak pledged "hundreds" of both air-defense missiles and long-range attack drones to Ukraine ahead of talks at his country retreat of Chequers.

Zelenskyy's latest trip outside Ukraine has taken him to Paris, Rome, Berlin, and the western German city of Aachen, where earlier on Sunday he received the prestigious Charlemagne prize to him and the Ukrainian people for their efforts to counter the Russian invasion.

The prize, a non-monetary and largely symbolic award, was set up in 1950 to celebrate efforts toward European unification.

He met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz earlier on Sunday, and French President Emmanuel Macron later. A Luftwaffe jet had flown Zelenskyy to the German capital from Rome, where on Saturday he met Pope Francis and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni.

Here are some of the other notable developments concerning Russia's war in Ukraine on Monday, May 15:

Russian missile attack kills four in Ukraine

Russian missile strikes hit a hospital in eastern Ukraine and killed four people, officials say. Ukraine's national police force said attacks on the front-line city of Avdiivka was one of a wave of attacks that hit 57 residential buildings in 13 localities.

"Four people died as a result of a missile attack on Avdiivka. Russians attacked the city with missiles this morning, hitting a hospital," Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

Kremlin slams Macron claim Russia is China's vassal

The Kremlin has criticized comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said Russia was becoming subservient to China as a result of the war in Ukraine.

"We categorically disagree with this. Our relations with China have the character of a special, strategic partnership," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a press briefing.

Peskov said Macron's comments reflected "an absolutely wrong understanding of what is happening."

Macron said in an interview published on Sunday that Russia, isolated by its offensive in Ukraine, had "entered a form of subservience with regards to China." Macron added that Russia had already suffered a "geopolitical defeat."

Ukraine lauds progress near Bakhmut

Ukraine has hailed its troops' advances in areas near the frontline town of Bakhmut as an important beginning in Kyiv's latest push to drive out invading Russian forces from its territory.

"The advance of our troops in the Bakhmut direction is the first success of the offensive in the course of the operation to defend Bakhmut," said the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi.

However, Ukrainian deputy defense minister Hanna Maliar said Russia's goals remained unchanged and that new forces were being sent to the outskirts of Bakhmut. 

High-ranking Chinese envoy visits Ukraine

Top Chinese envoy Li Hui is set to begin a tour of Ukraine in a trip Beijing says is aimed at examining a "political settlement" to the war in Ukraine.

Li, China's special representative for Eurasian affairs and a former ambassador to Russia, was also set to visit Poland, France, and Germany on the trip over several days.

"The visit ... is a testament to China's efforts towards promoting peace talks, and fully demonstrates China's firm commitment to peace," foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing.

Li is the most senior Chinese official to visit Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.

(Photo: Twitter/Rishi Sunak)