UK PM Boris Johnson Pays Surprise Visit to Ukraine, Meets President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv

"The UK is the leader in the defence support of Ukraine," Sybiha wrote.

Author: India.com News Desk Edited by: Tahir Qureshi

Published: April 9, 2022, 8:37 PM IST

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The photograph showed the pair sitting opposite each other in a grand room. (Image: Facebook/@andrij.sybiha.7)

Kyiv: In an unexpected move, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Saturday. This was made known by an aide to Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Boris Johnson’s visit in Kyiv began just now with a tete-a-tete meeting with President Zelensky,” Andriy Sybiha, the presidential aide said on Facebook and  posting a photo of the two leaders.

The photograph showed the pair sitting opposite each other in a grand room. Johnson was wearing a dark suit and Zelensky a khaki overall, his signature attire in public appearances since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

“The UK is the leader in the defence support of Ukraine,” Sybiha wrote.

Sybiha described Johnson as “the leader of the anti-war coalition. The leader of sanctions on the Russian aggressor.”

Johnson’s visit to the Ukrainian capital followed trips to Kyiv of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Friday and the visit of the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer earlier on Saturday.

Johnson’s Downing Street office said he was in Ukraine for a “show of solidarity” with the country’s people.

The European visits come after Ukraine rebuffed Russian troops from the Kyiv region late last month.

(With agency inputs)