President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he is “very happy” with the outcome of Monday evening’s confidence vote in Boris Johnson’s leadership, which saw the Conservative leader remain UK prime minister.
Johnson secured the support of 211 Tory MPs, equating to 59 per cent of the parliamentary party, to keep his job.
Zelensky subsequently hailed Johnson as an “important ally” of Ukraine and expressed his relief that Johnson remained PM, after having developed a close relationship with the UK premier since Russia launched its attack earlier in the year.
Speaking at a virtual conference on Tuesday organised by the Financial Times, Zelensky called Johnson a “true friend of Ukraine”, saying: “I'm glad we haven't lost an important ally, this is great news.”
The sentiment was also echoed by Zelensky’s associates, with adviser to the Ukrainian president, Mykhaylo Podolyak, writing on Twitter: “Leadership is always a heavy burden. Boris Johnson was one of the first who realised the menace of Russia and stood by Volodymyr Zelensky to protect the free world from barbaric invasion.
“The world needs such leaders. The UK is a great friend of Ukraine. British crown is a shield of democratic world.”
The prime minister's close relationship with his counterpart was laid bare when he made an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv back in April, where he was shown and walked around the city by Zelensky. During the visit, Johnson pledged further UK support for Ukraine’s defensive forces against Russia’s aggressors.
The UK government later confirmed in May that another package of military support would be provided to bolster Ukrainian defences.
In recent weeks, Johnson has talked up the need to address the war in Ukraine as a reason not to make changes at the head of government as speculation began to run rife over his future.
Speaking on Monday ahead of the confidence vote, he once more mentioned the war in Ukraine in an appeal to his fellow Conservatives to keep him in post, warning that it was not the time to destabilise the national leadership given the UK’s importance as a key ally and arms supplier to Kyiv.
Johnson also spoke to Zelensky on the phone prior to Monday’s vote, during which the two discussed Ukraine’s defences in the eastern Donbass region, where much of Russia’s invasive forces are now concentrated.
The prime minister tweeted after the call that the UK was “unwavering in our mission of ensuring Ukraine is defended and supported for the long-term.”
Image taken from Wikimedia Commons
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