THE UKRAINIAN president should be awarded an honorary knighthood and the street housing the Russian embassy in the UK named after him, MPs have said.
The Liberal Democrats proposed to give Volodymyr Zelenskyy an MBE ahead of his live address to the House of Commons this afternoon.
The party has also called on a council to rename the street of the Russian embassy 'Zelenskyy Avenue', as a reminder of the conflict in Ukraine for all those writing and visiting the consulate.
The building is located on Kensington Palace Gardens, minutes from Hyde Park in central London.
Ed Davey, the party leader, said: "At this dark moment, we must be offering President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people not just our support but our recognition too.
“For decades, many heroes of liberal democracy from across the globe have been rewarded with an honorary knighthood here in the UK. President Zelenskyy should follow in the footsteps of individuals like Nelson Mandela, and be awarded this honour.
"I hope the UK Government will get behind the Liberal Democrats' call to give President Zelenskyy an honorary knighthood. It is the very least we can do, as we step up our offer of support to the people who elected him.”
Layla Moran, the party's foreign affairs spokeswoman, said Kensington and Chelsea council should consider renaming the street of the Russian embassy, following similar moves abroad.
Officials in Vilnius, Lithuania, will change the name of the street the Russian embassy is on there to 'Heroes of Ukraine Street'; Tirana, Albania, will call their street 'Free Ukraine Street', and the location in Riga, Latvia is due to be called 'Independent Ukraine Street'.
Ms Moran said: "Britain must shame Putin at every possible opportunity. Everyone visiting or writing to the embassy should be reminded of Putin’s murderous and destructive invasion of Ukraine.
“This small but meaningful gesture would match the outpouring of support from Londoners. Their offers to help refugees fleeing the horror of war has been truly inspiring and shown the capital to be a beacon of solidarity with Ukrainian people.
“By changing this road name we are showing yet again that London stands with Ukraine. I hope now the Government will do their part and ensure refugees from Ukraine are given safety here in Britain.”
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