London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Ukraine conflict: Ukrainians fighting heroically, says Boris Johnson

Ukraine conflict: Ukrainians fighting heroically, says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson says Ukrainians are "fighting heroically" and with "great success" in some places.

Following a call with the Ukrainian president, the prime minister said things "are not going all the way of President [Vladimir] Putin".

But he said more had to be done to "change the heavy odds that Ukraine faces" from the Russian invasion.

Tougher sanctions, including a move to shut Russia out of the global payments system Swift, were needed, he said.

Shortly after Mr Johnson's comments on Saturday night the European Commission alongside the US, Canada and UK announced that selected Russian banks would be removed from the Swift messaging system.

The prime minister, who was speaking during a visit to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, said the UK was sending humanitarian, military and financial supplies to Ukraine.

He added that 1,000 troops were being sent to the region to help with the influx of refugees and he said the government would "of course help people fleeing for their lives".

"Things are not going all the way of President Putin. Very far from it, the Ukrainians are fighting heroically, and in some places with great success," Mr Johnson said.

He said some "terrible atrocities" were being committed and there would be some "very grim days ahead for Ukraine".

Mr Johnson said that Europe had to face the "hideous reality" that previous attempts at diplomacy with Mr Putin were "a charade".

A curfew has been imposed in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv until Monday morning as Russian forces close in, and there has been fighting near several other cities.

During a call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday evening, Mr Johnson paid tribute to the "incredible heroism and bravery" of Mr Zelensky and his people, Downing Street said.

They expressed concern for the role Belarus was playing in the violence and agreed on the need for "the international community to isolate Russia completely diplomatically and financially".

In a tweet Mr Zelensky said he was grateful to Mr Johnson and said they had agreed on further steps to "counter the aggressor".

Excluding Russia from Swift would not stop its banks sending and receiving cross-border payments, but it would make the process much more difficult and expensive.

So far, sanctions have included freezing the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, as well as halting Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Ukrainian servicemen take positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region


Mr Johnson also said that "of course" the UK would take Ukrainian refugees, saying the country had a "historic and proud role of taking refugees from all conflicts".

It comes after some criticism from opposition MPs that the government had continued to apply the existing rules for Ukrainians seeking to come to the country. Mr Johnson suggested that there was "fake news" on the internet about the government's willingness to help refugees.

Immigration minister Kevin Foster was criticised on social media after writing, in a later deleted tweet, that there were a number of routes to the UK which Ukrainians could qualify for, "not least our seasonal worker scheme".

The prime minister also said that it was "inconceivable" to imagine that normal sporting relations could continue with "Putin's Russia" after Poland and Sweden refused play world cup play-off fixtures with Russia.

It comes after Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich handed over "stewardship" of the football club to the trustees of its charitable foundation.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
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
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×