Meeting with Zelenskyy
Johnson makes a surprise trip to Kyiv
4/9/2022, 5:03 p.m
More and more Western politicians are getting an idea of the situation in Ukraine. After EU Commission President von der Leyen and Austria’s Chancellor Nehammer, British Prime Minister Johnson will also arrive in Kyiv.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson traveled to Kyiv unannounced and met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy there. This was announced by both the British and the Ukrainian side. “One-on-one talks with President Zelenskyy have just started,” Deputy Head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office Andriy Sybiha wrote on Facebook. He also published a photo showing the two politicians sitting across from each other at a table. Earlier in the day, Zelenskyi received Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
“The Prime Minister has traveled to Ukraine to meet President Zelensky in person as a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people,” said a British government spokesman. The two wanted to discuss Britain’s long-term support for Ukraine. Johnson wants to present a new package of financial and military aid.
During a visit by Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday, the British Prime Minister announced that he would send further weapons worth £100 million (the equivalent of around 120 million euros) to Ukraine. Among them were the Starstreak surface-to-air missiles. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss also posted a photo of Johnson and Zelenskyy on Twitter. Zelenskyy called Britain a “leader in defense support to Ukraine”.
Ukraine mainly interested in heavy weapons technology
Ukraine was attacked by neighboring Russia more than six weeks ago. Kyiv is supported by the West with arms deliveries. Anti-tank weapons come primarily from Great Britain. However, the Ukrainian leadership is interested in heavy engineering and, above all, anti-aircraft systems.
On Friday, a delegation led by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell visited Kyiv. As a sign of solidarity, European politicians also went to the Bucha suburb, where the bodies of hundreds of civilians were found last weekend. Ukraine blames Russian soldiers for the atrocities. Moscow denies that.