The Ukrainian presidency announced on Saturday that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukrainian presidential assistant Andriy Sibiga stated on Facebook, "Johnson's visit to Kyiv just started with a bilateral meeting with President Zelensky," and he shared a photo of the two, according to AFP.
Downing Street announced that "the Prime Minister is in Kyiv to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people." London mentioned that "Johnson is discussing sending more defensive and financial aid to Ukraine" with Zelensky. This visit marks the highest-level visit by a Western official to Kyiv since the start of the Russian military operation on March 25.
On Wednesday, Britain renewed its condemnation of the violations that occurred around Kyiv prior to the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Ukrainian capital a few days ago, and of the images depicting bodies and mass graves. Prime Minister Johnson stated on Wednesday that what happened in the town of Bucha northwest of Kyiv, as well as in other Ukrainian towns, resembles genocide to a significant extent. He added in remarks to reporters, as reported by Reuters, that the sight of bound bodies lying in the streets of Bucha is not different from genocides.
Additionally, he indicated that "the international community, led by Britain, will move again simultaneously to impose further sanctions on the regime of President Vladimir Putin." Last Monday, Johnson's spokesman said that the Prime Minister is eager to send new types of military assistance to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia. The British spokesman did not specify details about the specific equipment to be sent to Kyiv, but conveyed Johnson's promise: "We will do our utmost to support the Ukrainian army."
