The British prime minister says he will continue to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty against those who seek to destroy it.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will travel to Kiev on Tuesday to discuss tensions on the border with Russia with the Ukrainian president, from whom he once again asked for a commitment to resolve the conflict.
“As a friend and democratic partner, the UK will continue to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty against those who seek to destroy it,” Johnson said in a government statement.
“We urge Russia to step back and engage in dialogue to find a diplomatic solution and avoid further bloodshed,” continued the leader, who hopes to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week.
Russia has been accused, since the end of 2021, of having concentrated close to 100,000 soldiers on the Ukrainian border with the aim of attacking the neighboring country. Moscow denies having any bellicose intention, but demands written guarantees to safeguard its security, such as that the Atlantic Alliance does not admit new members, especially Ukraine.
Tuesday’s talks between Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will revolve around Britain’s strategic support for Ukraine.
The British government has announced it will provide 88 million pounds sterling ($118 million) to support stable governance and reduce Ukraine’s energy dependency on Russia.
Johnson received President Zelensky at Downing Street in October 2020. At that time, the two agreed to intensify relations in sectors such as defense, trade and political cooperation.
The last time they spoke was on January 13, the date on which they expressed their willingness to continue working closely with international partners to prevent Russian aggression.
During his visit to Kiev, Johnson was to be accompanied by the chief of diplomacy, Liz Truss, but in a tweet released on Monday night, he announced that he was positive for the coronavirus and that he would “work from home” during his mandatory quarantine.
Johnson assured British lawmakers on Monday that he would call President Putin “as soon as possible” and ask him again to “back off” and choose the diplomatic path. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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