London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 13, 2025

Boris Johnson warns of ‘very grim days ahead for Ukraine’

Prime minister says UK has to do everything it can to change ‘heavy odds’ country faces
Boris Johnson has said there are some “very grim days ahead for Ukraine”.

Speaking at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on Saturday night, the prime minister said he had “just come off the phone” to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

“Let’s be in no doubt, things are not going all the way of President Putin, very far from it,” he said. “The Ukrainians are fighting heroically, and in some places with great success, as many of us thought they would because they’re a great country and a very brave country.

“But as you rightly point out, there are some terrible atrocities being committed and there will be some very grim days ahead for Ukraine. We’ve got to do everything we can to change the heavy odds that Ukraine faces and to help them, and so that’s why we’re sending humanitarian supplies, we’re sending financial supplies and military supplies as well.”

Johnson also said there was growing support to ban Russia from the Swift banking system. Shortly after his statement it was announced that the UK, EU, US and Canada would remove “selected Russian banks” from Swift.

At the Oxfordshire airbase, he said: “You ask: ‘should we do more?’ The answer is yes. And we need to make sure that we apply those much tougher economic sanctions, including Swift, and what’s starting to happen is that the horror of what is unfolding in Ukraine is becoming clear to western audiences, and that is, in turn, putting huge pressure on western politicians.

“We’ve got to act together and we’ve got to do more.”

He added: “Swift is the mechanism that stops people making payments to Vladimir Putin’s Russia. It’s incredibly important for tightening the ligature, the economic ligature around the Putin regime.”

Johnson said that Vladimir Putin’s engagement in diplomacy had been a “charade”.

“I think we have to face the hideous reality that the diplomacy, as far as President Putin was concerned, was a charade,” he said.

“He never really intended to alter his course. You read the article that he wrote many months ago – it was clear that he’s attached to a weird, semi-mystical view of Ukraine as part of Russia.

“And that is a view that the Ukrainian people fervently, passionately reject and they’re showing that they will fight to reject it. Our job now is to help them, to help change the very heavy odds they face and that’s why we’re sending the support that we are.”

When pushed on whether the UK would take refugees fleeing from the conflict Johnson insisted: “Of course we’re going to take refugees … The UK is way out in front in our willingness to help with refugees. We’ve sent 1,000 troops to the theatre, to be ready to help with the influx and, of course, we will help people fleeing in fear of their lives.”

When asked if there was frustration at countries such as China abstaining rather than voting to condemn Russia’s illegal invasion at the UN security council, Johnson said there was a growing sense of “disgust” at the actions of Russia.

“I think what you’re seeing today and over the last few hours is a sense around the world that this is a horror that they simply hadn’t expected,” he said. “And I think that feeling is strong and growing not just in countries in the middle ground, but in Russia itself.”

With regard to whether the UK should break off sporting connections with Russia following Poland and Sweden’s refusal to play the national football team in the World Cup play-offs, Johnson added: “It’s a sad thing because I don’t think we’ve had a situation like this for a very, very long time, but it’s inconceivable to me to imagine that normal sporting relations with Putin’s Russia can continue.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
×