Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson

UK troops may aid Ukraine border defense under potential ceasefire, Boris Johnson says

November 29, 2024

By Ukraine

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In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph on 28 November, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested that British troops could play a crucial role in maintaining peace along Ukraine’s border as part of a potential future ceasefire agreement.

The inauguration of US president-elect Donald Trump on 20 January is expected to accelerate discussions on ending or rather freezing Russia’s war in Ukraine. Trump previously claimed he could end the war in a day, though without details. Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Trump as “intelligent” and ready for dialogue but reiterated demands for Ukraine to abandon NATO aspirations and cede four regions, terms Kyiv has consistently rejected.

Johnson emphasized that while he does not support sending combat troops to directly confront Russian forces, he believes multinational European peacekeeping forces are essential.

“I cannot see that such a European operation could possibly happen without the British,” he stated.

The former Conservative leader stressed the importance of clear security guarantees for Ukraine. He suggested that one potential option would be Ukraine joining NATO, which would provide Article 5 protection – a mutual defense clause, meaning an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

However, Johnson acknowledged that many NATO countries are hesitant about fast-tracking Ukraine’s membership. As an alternative, he proposed having troops from NATO countries provide security as part of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force, which would offer similar protections.

Speaking about the UK’s historical responsibility, Johnson referenced the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, where Britain, Russia, and the US provided security guarantees to Ukraine in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons.

“We collaborated with the Russians in 1994 and deprived the Ukrainians of nuclear weapons,” he said, arguing that the UK is “morally responsible” for Ukraine’s current predicament.

Johnson also criticized the current approach to supporting Ukraine, claiming that Western countries have been “allowing them to fight with one hand tied behind their backs,” implying restrictions and insufficient Western arms supplies to Ukraine.

According to The Telegraph, Boris Johnson said London took “far too long [to] break the taboo” on transferring Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine – it occurred in May 2023, more than a year into Russia’s all-out war, and the accompanying policy permission to fire the weapons into Russia – which occurred only this month.

The former UK PM expressed disappointment with the new Labor government’s support, suggesting they are no longer viewed as Ukraine’s “number one European champion.“

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