Boris Johnson visits Kyiv, pledges help

KYIV, Jan 22 (Reuters) – Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Kyiv on a shock journey on Sunday, assembly President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and pledging that Britain would “stick by Ukraine so long as it takes”.

Johnson, who left workplace in September within the wake of a collection of scandals, was prime minister when Russia invaded Ukraine final February and he sought to place London as Kyiv’s prime ally within the West.

Throughout his journey, Johnson visited Borodyanka and Bucha, the suburbs of the Ukrainian capital that turned a byword for atrocities within the West when Russian forces drove in direction of Kyiv within the first part of the invasion earlier than being repelled.

“I can inform you that the UK can be sticking by Ukraine for so long as it takes,” Johnson advised the mayor of Bucha.

“You are going to win and you are going to get all of the Russians out of your nation, however we can be there for the long-term. And we may even need to be serving to you to reconstruct,” he stated talking by an interpreter.

Johnson has dismissed solutions that his exercise in Ukraine could possibly be seen as undermining British Prime Minister Rusni Sunak.

Whereas in workplace, Johnson visited Kyiv a number of occasions and referred to as Zelenskiy regularly.

As he turned embroiled in scandals in Britain, he gained widespread recognition in Ukraine the place he turned identified affectionately as “Borys Johnsoniuk”. Cafes named truffles after him in Kyiv and road artwork was produced utilizing his picture.

In Bucha, Johnson took selfies with residents and laid flowers in tribute to victims of the conflict. He visited a church to see an exhibition and signed the Ukrainian version of his e book about Winston Churchill for a priest.

In Borodyanka, he walked the streets by ruined residential blocks. Kyiv regional governor Oleksiy Kuleba, who accompanied him, stated that 162 residents had been killed in the course of the month-long Russian occupation of the city final 12 months. Kuleba stated about 60% of residents have since returned.

In Kyiv, Johnson was personally welcomed by Zelenskiy and a row of prime officers together with the overseas minister and the pinnacle of the president’s workplace who lined up in a yard close to the presidential administration within the coronary heart of the town.

Final week Britain stated it will provide Ukraine with 14 Challenger 2 tanks and different heavy weaponry.

Reporting by Yurii Kovalenko and Viacheslav Ratynsky, writing by Olena Harmash; Enhancing by Hugh Lawson

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