Kyiv: United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson has offered to launch a major training operation for Ukrainian forces, with the potential to train up to 10,000 soldiers every 120 days, The Guardian reported citing Johnson’s office.
The UK PM, who arrived in Kyiv to meet Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a statement: “My visit today, in the depths of this war, is to send a clear and simple message to the Ukrainian people: the UK is with you, and we will be with you until you ultimately prevail.”
The new military training programme “could change the equation of this war – harnessing that most powerful of forces, the Ukrainian determination to win”, he added.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, tweeted about the talks which covered “the much needed heavy weapons and air defence systems supplies, economic support for Ukraine, increasing sanctions pressure on Russia”, he said.
Zelensky posted to his official Telegram channel about the UK PM visit and said:“Many days of this war have proved that Great Britain’s support for Ukraine is firm and resolute. Glad to see our country’s great friend Boris Johnson in Kyiv again.”
Alongside some pictures of the visit, he added “This is Boris Johnson’s second visit to Kyiv since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of our land. We have a common view of the movement towards Ukraine’s victory. I’m grateful for a powerful support!”
The prime minister’s second trip to the war-torn country comes a day after a joint visit by French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian PM Mario Draghi.
