Boris Johnson has been seen with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky at a shock assembly in Kyiv.
The British prime minister was pictured at a desk reverse Mr Zelensky on Saturday, with the Union Jack and Ukrainian flag within the background.
It’s believed to be the primary time the pair have met in particular person since Russia invaded Ukraine a month and a half in the past, beginning a battle reported to have killed a whole bunch of civilians and displaced thousands and thousands extra.
A Downing Avenue spokesperson confirmed the 2 had met in Kyiv on Saturday after a picture of the leaders collectively was met with shock on social media.
“The prime minister has travelled to Ukraine to satisfy President Zelenskyy in particular person, in a present of solidarity with the Ukrainian individuals,” the No 10 spokesperson mentioned.
“They may focus on the UK’s long run assist to Ukraine and the PM will set out a brand new package deal of economic and army help.”
Andriy Sybiha, a Ukrainian presidential aide, mentioned Mr Johnson had began his go to to Kyiv with a “tete-a-tete” assembly with Mr Zelensky.
Ukraine’s embassy within the UK shared a picture of the 2 leaders assembly on Saturday, with the caption “shock” and a winking face emoji.
The Tory occasion chair had beforehand mentioned the UK prime minister was “determined” to go to Ukraine to witness what was occurring within the nation below siege.
However a senior authorities official advised The Unbiased final month such a visit could be “nonsensical” and his time could be “higher spent addressing Dwelling Workplace dysfunction” over the UK’s response to the refugee disaster sparked by the battle.
Mr Johnson is believed to have final visited Ukraine and met Mr Zelensky at the beginning of February as the specter of a Russian invasion loomed.
His newest journey to Kyiv got here as Ukrainian authorities advised civilians to flee jap areas, the place Russia was amassing its troops.
The warning got here the day after the bombing of a practice station the place civilians have been sheltering, which killed at the least 52 individuals.
The Unbiased has a proud historical past of campaigning for the rights of probably the most susceptible, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome marketing campaign in the course of the battle in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our marketing campaign and launch this petition within the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian disaster, we’re calling on the federal government to go additional and quicker to make sure assistance is delivered.
To search out out extra about our Refugees Welcome marketing campaign, click on right here. To signal the petition click on right here. If you need to donate then please click on right here for our GoFundMe web page.
Kaynak: briturkish.com