Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said victory “will inevitably await us”, one year on from Russia’s invasion.
Zelensky called on allies to “respect their promises and deadlines” and renewed his calls for the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to send fighter jets to Ukraine.
During a lengthy press conference on Friday he asked a British journalist: “Where are our Typhoon aircraft?” and smiled as he followed up: “Please ask my friend Rishi [Sunak]”.
When pressed on what will happen if victory is not secured against Vladimir Putin’s troops this year, he replied: “I do not even want to think about it.
“We are partners. We have to be together. We will win.”
He added: “I really want every single partner to remain strong, to remain united for our victory, because that is going to be a victory of values.
“I am confident that we will have this victory soon. We have everything to have it this year.”
Zelensky’s reflections came as Rishi Sunak agreed with G7 leaders to intensify military aid for Ukraine’s armed forces.
In a statement after meeting virtually they pledged to deepen sanctions against those aiding Russia’s war effort.
Separately, Washington announced $2 billion in additional aid and released details of new measures it was taking that not only targeted Russia but also “third-country actors” across Europe, Asia and the Middle East supporting Russia’s war machine.
Britain also issued more sanctions against Russia, including export bans on every item it has used on the battlefield and import bans on iron and steel goods.
Earlier, the PM led the UK in a minute’s silence to mark the one-year anniversary of the war, as the world reflected on the conflict initiated by Putin’s full-scale invasion last February.
Outside No 10 on Friday morning, Sunak had been joined by his wife Akshata Murthy, Kyiv’s ambassador to Britain Vadym Prystaiko and dozens of Ukrainian troops being trained by the UK for the national pause on Friday morning.
The King also issued a message praising the “remarkable courage and resilience” of the Ukrainian people.
During his two-and-a-half hour press conference, Zelensky told how the worst moment since war began was the Bucha massacre last March, when hundreds of civilians were slaughtered by Putin’s troops.
“What I saw there. The moment we de-occupied Bucha, it was horrible. What we have seen - the devil is among us,” he told journalists.
Asked about whether Putin might face a war crimes tribunal, the Ukrainian leader says he believes both the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 and the war would play a key roles in any prosecution.
He also said it was conceivable Russia might invade another country and used Moldova as an example amid recent fears of a leadership change.
Zelensky became emotional when quizzed about how he and his family are coping personally.
“I love my family,” he said. “I love my wife. My children are the most important people for me. I do not get to see them often.
“I don’t have any opportunities to see my parents.
"I am very proud of my wife. I know what kind of person she is and I know that she is doing everything she can for the sake of the children and the country. They are all in my heart. I was honest with you when I said this was the hardest question.”
Sunak and his fellow world leaders have pledged to stand with Ukraine for as long as needed after war that has left hundreds of thousands dead and millions more displaced.
A call on Friday afternoon saw Sunak join fellow leaders, including US President Joe Biden, to discuss the war effort and how best to support Ukraine going forward.
In a joint statement, G7 leaders committed to intensifying “diplomatic, financial and military support for Ukraine” as well as “increasing the costs to Russia and those supporting its war effort”.
They also pledged that “solidarity will never waver in standing with Ukraine, in supporting countries and people in need, and in upholding the international order based on the rule of law”.
According to a Downing Street readout, Sunak urged allies to “support Ukraine with long-term military and security assurances to send a strong message to Putin that the global support was enduring”.
To give Kyiv a “decisive advantage”, Britain was trying to revive plans to provide eastern European allies with fighter jets so they can release their Soviet-era planes to Ukraine.
Britain also announced a new package of sanctions, imposing an export ban on every piece of equipment Russia has been found using on the battlefield in Ukraine.
When Putin launched his renewed invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year, many believed his military might would capture Kyiv within weeks or even days.
But the Ukrainian resistance led by Zelensky and assisted by the weapons and support provided by allies, including Britain, repelled the invasion to the east.
At least 100,000 of each side’s soldiers are estimated to have been killed or injured, thousands more civilians have died and more than 13 million people have been made refugees or displaced inside Ukraine.
On Friday, Zelensky vowed Ukraine will do everything in its power to defeat the invasion before another anniversary can be marked.
“It was a year of resilience. A year of care. A year of bravery. A year of pain. A year of hope. A year of endurance. A year of unity,” he said in a national address.
“The year of invincibility. The furious year of invincibility. Its main result is that we endured. We were not defeated. And we will do everything to gain victory this year.”
Britain will be training Ukrainian pilots on Nato-standard jets but allies have been reluctant to release the modern warplanes requested by the Ukrainian president.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said backfilling allies with the UK’s jets to free up their own would be a quicker way to bolster Kyiv’s defences than providing them with British Typhoons.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced the internationally co-ordinated new package of sanctions and warned the failing Russian president will “probably threaten nuclear use”.
Charles, who hosted Zelensky at Buckingham Palace earlier this month, said that Ukraine has “shown truly remarkable courage and resilience” while suffering “unimaginably from an unprovoked full-scale attack on their nation”.
“It is heartening that the United Kingdom, along with its allies, is doing everything possible to help at this most difficult time,” the King said in his message.
“Therefore, I can only hope the outpouring of solidarity from across the globe may bring not only practical aid, but also strength from the knowledge that, together, we stand united.”
The UK remains a prominent supporter of Kyiv, with the Government announcing earlier this year that Britain would be the first country to supply tanks to its armed forces.
But fears remain that the war could continue for at least another year, even as Ukraine insists that further support and weaponry can help bring the conflict to a conclusion.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that the country’s support “is as firm and unstinting today as it was on that dark day one year ago”.
Former Labour leader Sir Tony Blair lent his support to calls for Ukraine to receive the much-desired jets.
