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David Taylor, Hemel Hempstead’s Labour candidate for Parliament, has returned from a convoy traveling to Kyiv delivering 4x4 vehicles destined for the front line in Ukraine.

David was part of a team driving vehicles from the UK to Germany and then onto Warsaw where he joined a larger convoy travelling from Tallinn in Estonia to Kyiv where the vehicles were delivered together with drone equipment and medical kits for soldiers.

Leaving Hemel to join the mission on Tuesday 30th April David returned to the UK via the Kyiv-Poland sleeper train on the 5th of May.

The mission was led by Estonian charity Help99, which was founded by Ragnar Sass, an Estonian tech entrepreneur, which has been actively involved in supporting Ukraine since the outbreak of full-scale conflict in February 2022. The charity has raised over €5 million which has paid for over 300 trucks and 500 drones.

David and the team meet Ukrainian soldiers.

Participating in the convoy gave David a unique opportunity to engage directly with military and civilian personnel, gaining insights into their experiences and needs, and meeting Ukrainian politicians. David is the first UK Parliamentary Candidate to have taken part in the convoy although Estonian MPs have previously made the journey.

"I am meeting the Hemel branch of Association of Ukrainians GB this week and I want to do everything I can to make sure their cause is not forgotten", says David.

“Taking part in this journey has been a great honour, especially as it has been a difficult time for the Ukraine war effort in recent months. The conditions on the front line are tough, and Andrii, the soldier who will use one of the vehicles we handed over, told me he hadn't seen his family in the two years since the war began. They are people who had normal jobs like you or I before the war, yet they stepped up to defend their county. In return for their courage and bravery they must get our full support."

"I want to do whatever I can to defend Ukraine’s freedom against Putin’s aggression and support the many families who have sought refuge in Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding areas."

David and Andrii who hasn't seen his family in two years.

"We've seen in Syria and Salisbury what happens when we fail to stand up to Putin. The defence of the UK starts in Ukraine and Labour will stand with Kyiv for as long as it takes to win."

"A Labour government wants to increase military spending to 2.5% of GDP and will begin work on a pathway towards Ukraine's NATO membership."

Hemel parliamentary candidate in convoy to Kyiv