UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Ex-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko walk through Kyiv’s streets

*Paromita Das

During his surprise visit to the war-torn country, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson walked alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the streets of Kyiv.

The two leaders were seen walking through the mostly empty city guarded by snipers and other heavy security forces in a two-minute video shared by the Ukrainian government.

Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv yesterday.

Johnson stated that he traveled to Ukraine to meet with President Zelenskyy and express solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
“Today, I met with President @ZelenskyyUa in Kyiv to express our unwavering support for the Ukrainian people. We’re putting together a new package of financial and military aid to demonstrate our commitment to his country’s fight against Russia’s barbaric campaign “Johnson took to Twitter.

The Ukrainian Embassy in the United Kingdom tweeted a photo of Boris Johnson sitting in an office with Zelenskyy. This visit coincides with the announcement of a new pound sterling 100 million package of defensive aid to Ukraine by the Johnson administration.

More NLAW (Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapon) anti-tank missiles, more Javelin anti-tank systems, more loitering munitions, more Starstreak air defense systems, and more non-lethal aid such as ballistic helmets, body armor, and night-vision goggles will be included in the new support.
This package, worth more than £100 million, was created in collaboration with Ukraine’s Armed Forces to ensure that it meets their military requirements. This is in addition to the £350 million in military aid and around £400 million in economic and humanitarian assistance that the UK has already provided.

In addition to providing bilateral lethal aid, the UK Armed Forces have established an International Donor Coordination Centre in Stuttgart, in collaboration with Polish, US, and international partners.

This takes the lead in the international effort, ensuring that military aid delivered to Ukraine is as coordinated and effective as possible. The 104 Logistics Brigade team was formed in the aftermath of the Defense Secretary’s first International Donor Conference in February.
“Putin has hardened our resolve, sharpened our focus, and forced Europe to begin rearmament to ensure our shared security,” Johnson said.