‘How can we look them in the eye?’ says Boris Johnson as he demands more weapons in Ukraine after meeting wounded troops
Watch Zelenksy's address to the world as he vows to keep on fighting to defeat Russia
BORIS Johnson urged the West to send more weapons to Ukraine, as he asked: “How can we look these soldiers in the eye?”
The ex-PM said “artillery of all kinds” are needed to defeat Putin’s forces, who he warned are firing “ten times” as many shells in some areas of the war.
After meeting with injured solders returning from the front line on Saturday, he said Ukrainian soldiers had killed or wounded around 315,000 Russians.
He then pleaded: “They need more weapons now.
“They need artillery shells and long range artillery of all kinds.
“It is ridiculous to argue that giving them weapons is provocative or an escalation.
“The Russians are firing ten times as many shells in some places. How can we look these soldiers in the eye and say we are doing enough?”
The ex-PM was among a long list of dignitaries who arrived in Ukraine on Saturday to show their support.
It came as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vowed to back Ukraine “for as long as it takes” in a rousing post on Instagram.
Sharing a collage which included a snap of a Brit-donated Challenger 2 tank, Mr Sunak said: “Two years since Russia’s barbaric and deplorable full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Britain was with you then and we’re with you now – for as long as it takes. Slava Ukraini.”
He earlier wrote on X: “In Life will win over death. Light will win over darkness. Ukraine will prevail. Slava Ukraini.”
Ukraine continues to mount a heroic defence against Russia – despite being increasingly out-manned and out-gunned.
Putin’s illegal war has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of his own men – but the tyrant continues to press on.
“On this grim second anniversary of Putin’s invasion I am honoured to be here in Ukraine,” Johnson said in a post on X.
“With their indomitable courage I have no doubt that the Ukrainians will win and expel Putin’s forces – provided we give them the military, political and economic help that they need.”
Sunak also said last night that Britain was prepared to do “whatever it takes” and has promised a staggering £250m towards the production of artillery shells.
He said: “This is the moment to show that tyranny will never triumph and to say once again that we will stand with Ukraine today and tomorrow.
“We are prepared to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, until they prevail.”
It comes as:
- The world marks two years since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022
- Ukraine continues to mount a valiant defence – but is calling for more weapons
- Russia has lost an estimated 400,000 soldiers and has captured less than 20 per cent of Ukraine
- World leaders have arrived in Kyiv – and Boris Johnson has jetted to Ukraine
- Putin lost a £300million spy plane last night, and Russia’s largest steel plant was hit by drones
- An ex-US general laid out the SIX key ways Ukraine can defeat Russia
- Ukrainian model and mum Iryna Bilotserkovets revealed how Putin’s troops shot her in the head
- David Cameron urged allies to ‘show me the money’ over Ukraine
- Russia’s chief justice died just days after a meeting with Putin – in yet another high-profile death
The King has also released a statement of support of the strength of the Ukrainian people.
The monarch said: “Despite the tremendous hardship and pain inflicted upon them, Ukrainians continue to show the heroism with which the world associates them so closely.
“Theirs is true valour, in the face of indescribable aggression.”
He added that the UK will remain at the forefront of efforts to support Ukraine in their time of need.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron has also warned allies against compromising over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Friday, Cameron said: “Two years on, I recognise some want a rethink. There is a sense of fatigue. There are other problems.
“A compromise might seem attractive. But this is wrong. We must recognise the cost of giving up.
“Putin has said there will be no peace until Russia’s goals have been achieved.
“And in his latest interview, he studiously avoided confirming he was satisfied with the land seized from Ukraine at present.”
The Foreign Secretary added: “This is not a man seeking compromise. Rather, this is a neo-imperialist bully who believes that might is right.
Joining Johnson in Ukraine is the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
The western leader took to X to express her solidarity shortly after her arrival.
She said: “In Kyiv to mark the anniversary of the 2nd year of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
“And to celebrate the extraordinary resistance of the Ukrainian people.
“More than ever, we stand firmly by Ukraine. Financially, economically, militarily, morally. Until the country is finally free.”
Also in Ukraine are the prime ministers of Italy, Canada, and Belgium.
The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has warned against becoming victims of Russian propaganda at a ceremony at the Antonov airport in Hostomel.
Meloni said: “This place is the symbol of Moscow‘s failure and Ukraine’s pride.
“Here Putin’s plans were stopped, it reminds us that there is something stronger than missiles and war, love for the land and freedom.”
The Prime Minister added: “At the beginning we thought it was a blitzkrieg and it wasn’t.
“Then we thought that Russia would occupy half of the Ukrainian territory and it didn’t happen.
“Then Ukraine liberated part of its territories.
“Be careful, let us not also be victims of propaganda.”
Message from Zelensky
Battle-hardened Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also come forward to offer a message of hope to the people of his country.
Speaking at the Hostomel airport, Zelensky said that the destiny of his country depends on the fight of his people.
He asserted: “We can achieve our goal of peace. Russian madness will not reign on our land.”
And on Telegram, the President said: “I am incredibly proud of everyone. I admire each and every one of them. I believe in everyone.
“Any normal person wants the war to end. But none of us will allow our country to end.”
The President added that the war can only end on their terms.
He said: “That is why the word peace always sounds fair. That is why the word “Independent” will always stand next to the word “Ukraine”.
“Let’s fight for it, and we will win. On the best day of our lives.
“Thank you to all of you soldiers, our people and everyone in the world who stands by us and the truth. Glory to Ukraine!”
In a separate post on social media, Zelensky touched on the latest bilateral security agreement he has signed with Italy and Canada.
He said that the document “lays a strong foundation for a long-term security partnership between Ukraine and Italy.”
As part of this agreement, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged 3.02bn Canadian dollars (£1.7bn) in financial and military support to Ukraine.
Trudeau said: “We will stand with Ukraine with whatever it takes, for as long as it takes.”
The war in Ukraine
Two years ago, Putin invaded Ukraine in an attack that shocked the world.
On Saturday, Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said he still believes that “light” will triumph over “darkness”.
“I am convinced that unity is our victory. And it will definitely happen. Because light always conquers darkness!” Syrskyi said on social media.
The Ukrainian army chief recalled how few believed that Ukraine could fend off a Russian advance in the first days of the war in 2022.
He said: “When thousands of columns of Russian invaders moved from all directions into Ukraine, when thousands of missiles and bombs fell on our land, no one in the world believed that we would survive.
“No one believed, but Ukraine did! It believed, accepted the battle and survived.”
The army chief went on to praise Ukraine’s fallen soldiers and the efforts of their troops – who have been able to liberate land in the northeast and in the south.
He added that, two years on, Ukraine remains determined to fight.
Since the war broke out, 70,000 Ukrainian troops and at least 10,000 civilians have also been killed, although it is feared that number is likely far higher.
This estimate includes more than 560 children.
Meanwhile, at least 302,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the front line.
Although, it has been estimated that Russia has only lost 79 civilians.
Horror war crimes committed in Ukraine after Putin launched invasion
UKRAINIAN officials believe there have been more than 100,000 cases of war crimes committed by Russian forces since February 2022.
On March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin.
The UN Commission of Inquiry on the war against Ukraine found that Putin’s cronies were responsible for the abduction and deportation of tens of thousands of children.
Meanwhile, Russian forces have also been found responsible for the torture and murder of thousands of Ukrainian civilians – alongside countless rapes.
The Russian despot has denied targeting civilians, but further inquiries into the war found that there have been purposeful missile strikes on civilian refugees, multiple shootings at civilian vehicles, and cases where civilians have been used as human shields.
Ukrainian forces have also alleged that Russia has been using filtration camps, which they describe as “modern-day concentration camps”, where masses of Ukrainians have been subjected to electric torture, beatings, stabbings and shootings.
In the annexed regions, there have also been cases of Ukrainian civilians forced into joining the pro-Russian separatist forces.
Unashamedly, Putin has recently denied having started the war in 2022 – claiming instead that the last two years have been his attempts to stop Ukraine’s war against him.
In an interview with Tucker Carlson, the Russian tyrant baselessly accused Johnson of orchestrating the ongoing fighting in Ukraine.
Putin said: “It’s very sad to me… we could have stopped these hostilities with war a year and a half ago already.”
Putin ranted that negotiations to end the war had been underway 18 months ago, and that Johnson was personally responsible for its failure.
The former PM has previously dismissed these claims as “total nonsense” and stated he only expressed “concerns” about the potential peace agreement.
