British Prime Minister makes surprise visit to Ukraine, proposes military training program

The British Prime Minister was in the Ukrainian capital for the second time since the beginning of the Russian occupation and was considered a “great friend” by Zelensky. London claims it can train 10,000 soldiers every 120 days. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson presented a military training program to Ukrainian forces on Friday, during his second visit to Kiev since the start of the Russian occupation.

Johnson, who survived a Conservative Party vote of no confidence earlier this month, was greeted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr. ZelenskyHe posted a photo of the two of them as a “great friend” and on Twitter with the phrase: “Mr. VolodymyrIt’s nice to be in Kiev again”.

The British leader said he was happy to observe that “life is returning to the streets, cafes, restaurants” in Kiev.

However, he added, referring to the conflicts in other parts of the country, “It is only hours later that we have to face the fact that a barbaric attack continues against completely innocent people.”

Britain offered Ukraine a major new program with the potential to train 10,000 troops every 120 days.

London said the move could “fundamentally change the equation of war and ensure that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have the flexibility they need to emerge victorious in the struggle for lasting peace.”

From 2015 until the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Britain trained more than 22,000 Ukrainians.

The new military training program will train Ukrainian forces abroad. For three weeks, each soldier would learn basic medical training, cybersecurity, and counter-explosive tactics, along with front-line combat skills.

Johnson says Russia has failed

Johnson accuses Russia of deliberately targeting civilians “which is arguably a war crime”, but said Ukraine’s resistance got in the way of Moscow’s plans.

According to him, Russian troops “under heavy pressure and inflict heavy losses”. “Their spending on ammunition, grenades and other weapons is enormous and 114 days after attacking Ukraine they still haven’t met the targets they set for the first week,” said the British prime minister.

Also Friday, Britain’s top military official, Chief of Defense Staff Admiral Tony Radakin, said Russia had “strategically lost” in Ukraine.

“Minister [Vladimir] Putin used about 25% of his army’s strength to acquire a small amount of land at the cost of 50,000 killed or wounded. “Russia is failing,” he said in an interview.

Zelensky thanks support

Alongside Johnson, Zelensky thanked London’s “solid and determined” support.

“The many days of this war have proven that Britain’s support for Ukraine is firm and resolute. I am glad to see our country’s great friend, Boris Johnson, in Kiev again,” the Ukrainian president said in a video on Telegram, greeting the leader. At the Presidential Palace.

The unannounced trip was Johnson’s last show of support. Zelensky Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February and the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania traveled to Kiev and came a day after Ukraine ratified its candidate status to the European Union.

Johnson was the first leader of a G7 nation to visit Kiev on April 9, two weeks after Russian troops were driven from the capital’s suburbs.

At that time, he was seen walking through the deserted streets of Kiev. ZelenskyIn a gesture hailed by Ukrainians for displays of solidarity, he encouraged the Ukrainian president to say that Britain’s support for Ukraine “will forever remain in history”.

high popularity in Ukraine

Struggling with controversies in Britain and a record rejection by the British, Johnson enjoys high popularity in Ukraine as he provided military and political support to Kiev during the Russian occupation of London. For example, a cafe in Kiev sells an apple dessert called Borys Dzhonsonyuk, which is the Ukrainian version of the prime minister’s name.

“My visit today, in the depths of this war, is to send a clear and simple message to the people of Ukraine: the United Kingdom is with you and we will be with you until you win,” Johnson said on Friday.

Second Zelenskyhe and Johnson also discussed the situation at the forefront of the wars and the need to increase the supply of heavy weapons and build Ukrainian air defenses.

“We have a shared vision of how to achieve victory because that’s exactly what Ukraine needs: victory for our state,” he said. Zelensky.

(AFP, Reuters, ots)