UK Billionaire Richard Branson meets with Zelensky in Ukraine, visits Irpin and Bucha

The billionaire and founder of Virgin Group Richard Branson visited Ukraine and met with Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian businessmen. Branson visited a residential area in Kyiv, which was recently shelled, and then traveled to the Kyiv region to look at what remained of the An-225 Mriya transport plane in Gostomel, and to pay visits to Irpin and Bucha.

“It is clear that these kinds of attacks are neither random nor arbitrary. This is part of a deliberate strategy to instill terror and fear among the civilian population of Ukraine,” the BBC Russian Service quoted Branson as saying. “I hope that the Russian perpetrators of those shocking acts will be held accountable.”

Branson added that the main purpose of his trip to Kyiv was to meet with Ukrainians, listen to them, understand their fears and concerns. “And also to learn what the business community, in partnership with civil society and governments, can do to support Ukraine in the most effective way,” Branson added.

“I remain hopeful that Ukraine and its people will prevail and win this war, taking control of their territory, their sovereignty and their path to the future. But we all, more than ever, must unite and confront the threat that Ukraine and the entire world face,” the businessman believes.

After Branson's visit Vladimir Zelensky wrote that they discussed, among other things, keeping the spotlight on the war in Ukraine.

David Arahamiya, the head of the “Servant of the People” party faction, also met with Branson, whereafter he said that the businessman promised Ukraine assistance in the creation of the world's largest new cargo plane.

In June, actor Ben Stiller visited Ukraine. In May, U2 band members Bono and Edge came to Kyiv and held a concert in the subway. Together with the Ukrainian band Antibodies and the Ukrainian military they performed the song “Stand by Me” with the lyrics “Stand by Ukraine”. In April, they organized a concert in Warsaw as a part of a charity marathon to support Ukraine, which has already managed to raise several billions of dollars. Then the U2 soloist Bono recorded a song “Walk on Ukraine”. Before that, he dedicated a poem to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In late April, actress Angelina Jolie visited Ukraine.