Johnson’s visit came a day after European Union President Ursula von der Leyen visited the Ukrainian capital. Accompanied by armed soldiers, Johnson walked through town while engaging in conversations with civilians. For the British prime minister, the first G7 leader to be in the beleaguered country, this was an opportunity to present himself as a contemporary version of his hero, war prime minister Winston Churchill.
A real “friendship” arose between Zelensky and Johnson, a brotherly love. Zelensky has not forgotten that British soldiers have been training the Ukrainian army since 2015, after the Russian invasion of Crimea. The British were the first to send weapons to Ukraine at the beginning of this year, fearing a Russian invasion. As a result, Moscow now sees the United Kingdom as the main enemy in the West.
Johnson did not come to Kyiv empty-handed. The Ukrainian president, whom he calls almost daily, promised 120 armored personnel carriers and British missile systems to destroy naval ships. This comes on top of 120 million euros worth of military equipment already pledged on Friday. British anti-tank weapons proved their worth last week during the war with the Red Army.
After the visit, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense praised the British Prime Minister. “This is what courage looks like, this is what true friendship between peoples and nations looks like,” the ministry wrote on Twitter, accompanied by pictures of Johnson on the streets of Kyiv. In turn, Johnson praised the host. For Johnson, it’s a wonderful resurrection. The political letters were written posthumously a few months ago, but now he is positioning himself as the leader of the West.
On the island, comparisons were made with the war in the Falkland Islands, exactly forty years ago. The recapture of the islands from Argentine occupier Margaret Thatcher saved the prime ministership at the time. Liberation also contributed to the downfall of the Military Council. Behind the scenes, Johnson owes much to his defense secretary, Ben Wallace, who has had to engage in internal conflicts with his arms supply officials.
While military aid is now advancing, refugee reception remains a weakness for the British. It seems that the Ministry of the Interior is still finding it difficult to switch to the state of emergency. For example, a Ukrainian mother and two daughters who were offered residence in Hartlepool recently refused to enter the country because decision officials questioned the exact spelling of her name.