PM praises ‘great military feat’ as he makes secret visit to Ukraine
Johnson says it is a privilege to meet Zelensky in Kyiv and offers Britain’s unwavering support
BORIS JOHNSON yesterday made a secret visit to Ukraine to offer Volodymyr Zelensky, its president, a new aid package including armoured vehicles and anti-ship missiles as he praised Ukraine for “achieving the greatest feat of arms of the 21st century”.
The Prime Minister used the visit to promise a new package of aid for Ukraine, including 120 new armoured vehicles and anti-ship missile system that could be used to fight Russian forces in Mariupol, on the south coast.
Mr Johnson’s trip was not announced to the media in advance, and revealed only when Ukraine’s embassy in the UK tweeted a photo of the two men with the caption: “Surprise.”
He is understood to have travelled to Poland under the cover of darkness on Friday night, then to Kyiv with just one aide from his private office, in addition to security personnel. Downing Street said the trip had been arranged as a “show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people”. Despite the Russian military’s declaration that it had given up attempting to capture Kyiv and would now focus on its stronghold in the east of Ukraine, troops have shelled the city’s suburbs within the last week.
Speaking in a recorded message with Mr Zelensky from Kyiv last night, Mr Johnson said: “I think that the Ukrainians have shown the courage of a lion, and you, Volodymyr, have given the roar of that lion.”
He added that the UK would “supply the equipment, the technology, the know-how, the intelligence, so that Ukraine will never be invaded again”, and pledged to “liberalise trade with Ukraine as we go forward”.
“Having been here in Kyiv for just a few hours, I have no doubt [...] that an independent sovereign Ukraine will rise again thanks above all to the heroism, the courage of the people of Ukraine,” he said. “Thank you very much and Slava Ukraini.”
Mr Johnson also promised to guarantee a further £385 million of World Bank lending to Ukraine, subject to parliamentary approval.
“Ukraine has defied the odds and pushed back Russian forces from the gates of Kyiv, achieving the greatest feat of arms of the 21st century.
“It is because of President Zelensky’s resolute leadership and the invincible heroism and courage of the Ukrainian people that Putin’s monstrous aims are being thwarted. I made clear today that the United Kingdom stands unwaveringly with them in this ongoing fight, and we are in it for the long run.”
Andriy Sybiha, the deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office, said on Facebook: “The UK is the leader in defence support for Ukraine. The leader in the anti-war coalition. The leader in sanctions against Russian aggressor.”
The Ukrainian defence ministry added: “We welcome Boris Johnson in Kyiv, the first G7 leader to arrive in Ukraine since the beginning of the large-scale war. We are strengthening our union of democracies. Be brave, like Boris. Be brave, like Ukraine.”
The meeting came after the UK agreed to send Mastiff armoured vehicles to the Ukrainian military – a step beyond the anti-air and anti-tank missiles that have been provided thus far.