Britons may hate Boris Johnson but he is still popular in Ukraine

The scandal-ridden prime minister is widely admired for his uncompromising support for Ukraine’s effort to defeat the Russian invasion

A Kyiv cafe sells a cake named after Johnson who had visited the war-torn country twice in the last few months

2-MIN READ2-MIN

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left) with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on April 9. Photo: Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP

Published: 12:43pm, 9 Jul 2022

Don’t worry Boris, there’s one country where your popularity remains undimmed.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson may have been shown the door in Britain, but he remains a political juggernaut in Ukraine – widely admired for his uncompromising support for the country’s effort to defeat the Russian invasion.

“We all heard this news with sadness,’’ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said soon after Johnson announced his resignation on Thursday. “Not only me, but also the entire Ukrainian society, which is very sympathetic to you.’’

There’s good reason for Johnson’s popularity.

As he struggled to fight off police investigations, scandals and political attacks, Johnson deflected criticism at home by positioning himself as the leader of the international effort to help Ukraine combat Russian aggression.

Since the Russian invasion began on February 24, Johnson has pledged 2.3 billion pounds (US$2.8 billion) of military aid to Ukraine, including armoured vehicles and anti-tank missiles. He’s also dispatched economic support, guaranteeing millions in World Bank loans for the country.