'We do it together': Ukrainian President Zelenskyy welcomes Defence Secretary Ben Wallace to Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has welcomed Defence Secretary Ben Wallace to Kyiv amid concern about two British fighters who have been sentenced to death after being captured by Russian forces.
A video on Mr Zelensky's Telegram channel showed Mr Wallace tell the president during the visit in recent days "you're doing amazing", to which he replies: "We do it together."
Mr Zelensky presented him with what appeared to be a signed and framed collection of “Russian warship, go f*** yourself” stamps.
The slogan has become a symbol of the national resistance after a Ukrainian guard defending Snake Island in the Black Sea dismissed an attacking ship with the words.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said they spoke during the previously unannounced trip about continuing to aid the resistance against Russia, "as the conflict enters a different phase".
Officials would only say that the two-day visit took place "this week" and it was unclear whether they discussed the Britons condemned to death for fighting Russian forces.
Ministers are under pressure to secure the release of Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, after the judgment by a Russian proxy court on Thursday.
The third man sentenced is reported to be Saaudun Brahim, a Moroccan national.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has called it a "sham judgement" and will speak with her Ukrainian counterpart later on Friday.
Mr Aslin and Mr Pinner are both members of regular Ukrainian military units - they had been fighting in Mariupol.
As the diplomatic fallout intensifies, Downing Street said the men are entitled to combatant immunity as prisoners of war under the Geneva convention.
Liz Truss said: "I utterly condemn the sentencing of Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner held by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine. They are prisoners of war. This is a sham judgment with absolutely no legitimacy.
"My thoughts are with the families. We continue to do everything we can to support them."
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Interfax, a Russian news agency, claimed the men would be able to appeal against their convictions.
Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, said he thinks the two Britons captured in the Donetsk People's Republic and sentenced to death will be released in exchange for prisoners held by Ukrainian forces.
Asked whether Russian prisoners could be traded, Mr Prystaiko told BBC News: "It will be a swap.
"The important question is what will be the price for this, because the Russian's were talking about some Ukrainian MPs being swapped for them, especially for those who, I now understand, were working for them for all these years."
He said the Britons have been targeted by Russia because of the UK's "clear position" in "supporting Ukraine".
He added: "We expect Russians to remember that these are our people, now they are prisoners of war and should be treated as prisoners of war - the same way we are treating Russians which are in our captivity."
Mr Wallace, who also held discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov, wanted to hear "first-hand" how the army's requirements are "developing as the nature of the conflict continues to change".
"This will ensure that the UK's continued support is evolving to meet those requirements and is tailored to the situation on the ground," the MoD said.
"The three agreed to work even more closely going forward in support of their shared goal of enabling Ukraine to liberate itself from illegal Russian occupation.
"They also discussed the range of equipment and training the UK is currently providing and what further support we can offer to help Ukrainian forces to defend their country."