Boris Johnson condemns unprovoked Russian attack on Ukraine
February 24, 2022, 8:28 am

Boris Johnson condemns unprovoked Russian attack on Ukraine

Boris Johnson: I want to thank every member of our Armed Forces currently serving in Europe, standing side by side with their NATO counterparts at its eastern flank/Official Facebook page

The BBC reported, PM Boris Johnson says that the UK will respond decisively to Russia's "unprovoked attack" on Ukraine.

The PM said he was appalled after President Putin launched a military operation in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.

Mr Putin said he did not plan to occupy the country, but Ukraine has branded it a "full-scale invasion".

The PM will chair a Cobra meeting shortly to discuss the "horrific attacks".

A No 10 spokesperson said that in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Johnson said the people of Ukraine were in the UK's thoughts.

The prime minister told Mr Zelensky the West "would not stand by as President Putin waged his campaign against the Ukrainian people".

President Volodymyr Zelensky-PM Boris Johnson (File photo: Facebook page)

Mr Johnson wrote on Twitter: "President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine."

Russian forces have launched an assault on Ukraine, with reports of explosions near major cities across the country.

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President Putin announced a "special military operation" in Ukraine's Donbas region in a televised address to the Russian people on Thursday morning.

He said the Ukrainian people would be able "to choose freely" who ran the country.

Mr Putin also urged Ukrainian soldiers in the combat zone in eastern Ukraine to lay down their weapons and return to their homes, warning that Moscow's response would be "instant" if anyone tried to take on Russia.

Source: BBC

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.