After a quiet vanishing from the UK, followed by a quiet train ride from Poland, the Prime Minister has arrived in Ukraine to speak with President Zelenskyy and visit locations impacted by the war. Instead of the often visited Kiev, the PM starts his visit in Kryvyi Rih, another large city in Ukraine, only a few dozen kilometers from the frontline. The distant echoes of artillery and gunfire are occasionally audible, putting security on edge as the PM explores the city.

After a few hours visiting local hospitals, barracks, and ruins of devastated civilian housing, the PM makes his way to a speech in the town center. Alongside President Zelenskyy, as well as a sizeable if restrained crowd given the war, he begins speaking, with a translator assisting for the audience.

"I am very grateful that I am able to speak to you all here, that you, the people of Ukraine, have pushed the invaders back from this region in an echo of the battles of Kharkov of almost a century ago. All of us who are watching this war from the safety of the West admire you, you who are fighting on, fighting for the right to determine your own lives. The cowardly civilian bombings of Russia have not dampened your enthusiasm, have not hindered your willpower.

I have spent several hours now seeing this city, how I wish it was under the better circumstances of tourism. I have seen your hospitals, overflowing with the wounded and ill. I have seen your soldiers, praying for peace and getting whatever rest they have time for. I have seen the ruins, the massive eternal tombs to thousands of civilians who were to your enemies nothing but acceptable casualties. I say now: there are no acceptable civilian casualties.

I also took the time to visit the iron mine here, owned, previously at least, by a British subsidiary of Evraz. I tell you all now: these mines belong to Ukraine!"

This gets some cheers from the crowd after it is translated.

"No longer should the workers of Ukraine be struggling to get by on wages set and withheld by Russian oligarchs, nor any oligarchs! These mines have seen many abuses over the last few decades, and the strike action many of you took was justified beyond any question. The desire for a nation to own its own resources, its own industry, its own services, is simply an extension of the desire to control one's own future. Ukraine deserves that, just like any nation.

Why do I say this? I say it because I have seen the worrying trends of exploitative Western aid surface in that given to you all here. Arms shipments given under the promise of lend-lease, aid payments with conditions on how it must be distributed, and the slowly ripening threats of the World Trade Organisation and International Monetary Fund. So let me be clear: all aid to Ukraine is a gift.

We do not want to be paid back. We do not wish to use what we are giving as leverage to manipulate a regional power.

We want to see a free, independent, democratic Ukraine. A Ukraine that can make its own political decisions, and its own economic ones."

After some further pause for translation and cheers he continues:

"To that end, we are continuing our aid, civilian and military, and will continue to expand it where necessary. It is clear that a lot of effort and funds will be needed to rebuild Ukraine, and we will be here to help you in that.

Furthermore, we will be expanding our aid militarily in one specific sector so as to reinforce my previous aid package of a cargo aircraft fleet, among other aid. We will be accepting Ukrainian pilots to the UK Military Flying Training System, free of charge, so long as their application is approved by the Ukrainian Government. We shall also be investigating the transfer of Typhoons and other combat aircraft to Ukrainian hands following the expansion of their piloting base by this programme.

Ukraine and its people deserve to enjoy the pleasure of a clear blue sky, with no fear of missiles or bombs raining down to slaughter civilians. The fight for a clear sky will not be easy, but it is one the UK will stand by Ukraine in fighting for.

The world is watching, holding its breath, and yet also amazed. Amazed by the resilience of all of the people here, amazed by their refusal to obey convenient outside narratives, amazed by that universally relatable desire: to be free.

We stand with Ukrainians, and hope to soon see peace once again, by whatever terms you demand. Slava Ukraini!"

After taking time to speak with a number of locals, the PM accompanies President Zelenskyy to Kyiv to discuss policy and aid efforts.