Johnson warns war in Ukraine could drag on for "years to come"
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Amid fears of a long conflict ahead, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says “everything will depend on whether Ukraine can strengthen its ability to defend its soil.”
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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Archive)
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that the war in Ukraine could drag on indefinitely and urged Western countries to increase their supplies to Kiev.
In an article published in The Sunday Times, Johnson said that "time is now the vital factor; everything will depend on whether Ukraine can strengthen its ability to defend its soil faster than Russia can renew its capacity to attack. Our task is to enlist time on Ukraine’s side."
Johnson foresaw a protracted war in Ukraine and outlined a four-point strategy to ensure Ukraine has the "strategic endurance to survive and eventually prevail."
The plan reportedly calls for providing Kiev with funding, weapons, and technical assistance, as well as improving infrastructure and supporting the Ukrainian economy, not to mention removing the blocked grain from Ukraine.
Western support may be required for "years to come”, according to Johnson.
Johnson stated on Saturday that his unexpected visit to Kiev on June 17 was to demonstrate London's support at a time when other countries are growing tired of the Ukraine issue.
On Friday, the Prime Minister met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to tackle military supplies.
It is worth noting that the leaders of Germany, France, and Italy visited Ukraine on Thursday and met with Zelensky in what many saw as an attempt to debate with Kiev the possibility of reopening negotiation channels between Ukraine and Russia. Furthermore, the three leaders endorsed Ukraine’s bid to become an EU member state and issued a formal recommendation to the European Commission.
Read more: Lavrov: Russia does not care about "the eyes of the West”
