Kyiv: Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a surprise trip to Kyiv on Sunday to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and promised Britain would “stick to Ukraine as long as necessary”.
Johnson, who resigned in September following a string of scandals, was prime minister during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February and sought to position London as Kyiv’s biggest ally in the West.
During his trip, Prime Minister Johnson visited Borodhanka and Bucha, which are located on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital. These areas have become synonymous with Western atrocities as Russian forces headed for Kyiv before being repulsed in the first phase of the invasion.
“The UK will stick with Ukraine,” Johnson told Bucha.
“You will win and drive all Russians out of your country, but we are there for the long term. Also, we want to help you rebuild,” he said. spoke through an interpreter.
Mr Johnson has dismissed suggestions that his activities in Ukraine could be seen as undermining British Prime Minister Rusni Sunak.
During his tenure, Johnson visited Kyiv several times and called Zelensky frequently.
When he became embroiled in a scandal in the UK, he became widely popular in Ukraine, where he became affectionately known as “Boris Johnson”. A cafe in Kyiv named a cake after him and his image was used to create his street art.
In Bucha, Johnson took selfies with residents and laid flowers in honor of war victims. signed the Ukrainian version of.
In Borodhanka he walked the streets of an abandoned residential area. Kyiv regional governor Oleksiy Kleva, who accompanied him, said 162 residents were killed during the month-long Russian occupation of the town last year. About 60 percent of the residents have since returned, according to Kleba.
In Kyiv, Prime Minister Johnson was personally welcomed by President Zelensky and a series of dignitaries, including foreign ministers and presidential chiefs, who lined up in a garden near the presidential palace in the city centre.
Last week, Britain announced it would supply Ukraine with 14 Challenger 2 tanks and other heavy weapons. – Reuters
