Boris Johnson visits Kyiv as UK donates more weapons — RT Russia and former Soviet Union
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday, marking Ukraine’s independence day with his third visit to the city since Russia’s military campaign began in February. Urging Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to ignore calls for negotiations, Johnson presented a new $63 million arms shipment for his military.
After a press tour of the streets of kyiv, Johnson appeared at a joint press conference with Zelensky, during which he urged the Ukrainian leader not to “advance a fragile negotiation plan” with Russia. While it’s unclear which specific plan Johnson was referring to, British officials have publicly called on Kyiv not to start talks with Moscow on numerous occasions since Russia sent troops to Ukraine in February.
« The UK is with you and will be with you for the days and months to come, and you can win and you will win, » Johnson told Zelensky.
Johnson also used his appearance in Kyiv to announce a new military aid package for Ukraine worth £54 million ($63 million). According to a Downing Street press release, the package will include roving munitions – commonly known as suicide drones – and 850 Black Hornet micro-drones – cellphone-sized helicopters that send video and still images back to their operators. .
In total, the UK has given Ukraine more than £2.3 billion ($2.7 billion) in military aid since February and is currently training Ukrainian military recruits on British soil. The training program was announced by the UK last month, shortly after Zelensky admitted that his army was losing between 100 and 200 soldiers a day, not counting the wounded, on a battlefield described by the president ukrainian like « hell. »
August 24 marks six months since the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine and 31 years since Ukraine declared its independence from the Soviet Union. In Washington, US President Joe Biden used the day to announce a new arms package worth nearly $3 billion, the largest tranche of US weapons for Ukraine to date.
For Johnson, the trip to Kyiv will be his last as prime minister. Johnson will leave office in two weeks, having resigned in July amid multiple scandals. Pending the outcome of a Conservative Party poll, he will be replaced by either Foreign Secretary Liz Truss – a hard-line opponent of Russia who has promised to be Ukraine’s secretary « greatest friend » – or former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who also promised kyiv that the UK « remain your strongest ally. »
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