Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will give a ‘historic address’ to MPs at 5pm tomorrow by video link.
It comes after members of the House gave a standing ovation and huge cheers to Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK as he sat in the public gallery.
A foreign politician’s words being broadcast on the screens of the Commons is a rare privilege.
Normally, they would deliver addresses outside the chamber such as in Westminster Hall.
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Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: ‘Every parliamentarian wants to hear directly from the president, who will be speaking to us live from Ukraine, so this is an important opportunity for the House.
‘Thanks again to our incredible staff for working at pace to make this historic address possible.’
Larger screens will be installed in the chamber overnight, while more than 500 headsets will be made available for MPs.
Members will get to hear Zelensky’s words translated to English in real-time, but there will be no questions at the end.
Reports have suggested the Ukrainian leader will use his address to call for more arms to help defend his country against Russian military.
Zelensky, who is at risk of assassination attempts, could also renew demands for the implementation of a no-fly zone to stem Vladimir Putin’s forces.
NATO and Western leaders have so far refused to impose such a measure, as it would mean them shooting down Russian jets for breaching it.
This, they say, could end up dragging several more nations into the war in Ukraine, which is not a NATO member.
His speech will come one week after receiving a standing ovation from the European Parliament, as he said: ‘Nobody is going to break us, we are strong.’
An English translator broke down with emotion during Zelensky’s address, in which he called on the EU to provide further support.
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