British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to launch a Ukrainian military training program on Friday as he meets with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on his second trip to the Ukrainian capital since the Russian invasion.
Johnson, who survived a no-confidence vote earlier this month, was greeted by Zelensky as "a great friend" and sent a photo of himself with the Ukrainian president, with the words "Mr. President, Volodymyr, Good to be in Kyiv again."
Johnson has promised to launch a massive Ukrainian military training campaign, which is likely to train up to 10,000 soldiers every 120 days at the conference, his office said.
"My visit today, in the depths of this war, is to send a clear and simple message to the people of Ukraine: the UK is with you, and we will be with you until you finally win," Johnson said.
"That is why I have given President Zelensky a great new military training program that can change the equation of this war - to use that powerful force, Ukraine's determination to win."
The undisclosed trip has been Johnson's latest plan to support Zelensky since Russia invaded Ukraine in February but may have come at the expense of his lawmakers.
Some were outraged after canceling his appearance at a conference in northern England, where some Conservatives won parliamentary seats supporting Labor for the first time in 2019.
The trip came a day after leaders from France, Germany, Italy and Romania visited Kyiv and approved Ukraine's status of joining the European Union.
'Shared idea'
"Many days of this war have proved that the support of Great Britain in Ukraine is strong and resilient. We are delighted to see our country's best friend Boris Johnson in Kyiv again," Zelensky said.
He and Johnson discussed the state of play ahead and the need to collect heavy weapons and build Ukrainian air defense, Zelensky said in a brief statement issued near Johnson.
"We have the same vision of how we can advance to victory because that is exactly what Ukraine needs - the victory of our country," Zelensky said.
Johnson said in a statement: "We are here again to emphasize that we are here with you to give you the patience you will need."
He said that would include helping to strengthen sanctions on Russia and to mobilize Ukraine's political support.
Johnson, who faces political pressure at home, has grown increasingly popular in Ukraine as Britain arrived on a military and political base in Kyiv during the Russian invasion.
One cafe in Kyiv sells apple pie called Borys Dzhonsonyuk, a Ukrainian version of the prime minister's name.
Zelensky and Johnson placed necklaces in memory of the dead Ukrainian soldiers and took them on a march to Russia's damaged military equipment placed in a central square, unveiled photographs released by the Ukrainian presidency.
Life in Kyiv has been slowly returning to normal since Russia withdrew its troops near the Ukrainian capital, but alarm bells are still ringing and Russian missile strikes hit the suburbs on June 5.
The new military training program will train Ukrainian troops abroad, Johnson's office said. Each soldier will spend three weeks learning advanced combat skills, as well as basic medical training, cyber security and anti-explosive tactics, he said.
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