Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made a surprise visit to Kyiv (Kiev) for a sit-down meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The visit was revealed by the Embassy of Ukraine to the United Kingdom in a social media post showing the British and Ukrainian leaders sitting together at a conference table flanked by the British and Ukrainian flags.
Andriy Sybiha, an aide to President Zelensky, praised the United Kingdom as “the leader in the defence support of Ukraine” and Prime Minister Johnson as “the leader of the anti-war coalition. The leader of sanctions on the Russian aggressor.”
The visit followed the British government having announced it was sending hundreds more anti-tank missile systems and additional anti-aircraft missile systems and sophisticated munitions to Ukraine, among other lethal aid, to help combat Russian forces.
A spokesman for 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister’s official residence, confirmed that Johnson “has travelled to Ukraine to meet President Zelensky in person, in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people” in comments reported by The Telegraph.
“They will discuss the UK’s long term support to Ukraine and the PM will set out a new package of financial and military aid,” the spokesman added.
A post to Prime Minister Johnson’s personal Twitter account also confirmed that he “met [his] friend President [Zelensky] as a show of our unwavering support for the people of Ukraine.”