‘What the hell are we waiting for?’ Boris Johnson urges more support for Ukraine ‘now’

Former Prime Minister said western allies must to ‘double and treble our support’ to Ukraine

Boris Johnson has urged western allies to give Ukraine “all the help that they need” to defeat Russian military forces, just a day after his surprise visit to the country.

In an editorial renewing his support for the war-torn nation, the former prime minister writes: “Look at those brave Ukrainians and answer me this question: just what the hell are we waiting for?”

Mr Johnson positioned himself as a key ally of Kyiv during his time at No 10 and has consistently called for further military support for Ukraine.

Writing in the Daily Mail after his most recent trip, he said: “The sooner we can help the Ukrainians to their inevitable victory, the sooner their suffering will be over, and the sooner the whole world, including Russia, can begin to recover from Putin’s catastrophe.

“That requires all of us in the West, all the friends of Ukraine, to double and treble our support.”

Mr Johnson said Ukraine’s various military successes in expelling Russian troops in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson would go down as “great feats of arms of modern times”.

He wrote in the paper that the sooner Vladimir Putin’s forces can be defeated the sooner “the whold world” can begin to recover from the Russian leaders “catastrophe”.

Zelenskyy, right, and ohnson talk during their meeting in Kyiv on Sunday (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office)

Mr Johnson added that Putin’s troops are “demoralised” and his army is full of “freshly sprung convicts” rather than seasoned soldiers.

He added: “But wasteful though he is, Putin still has the reserves of population; he has the power to conscript; and he has shown his total contempt for the value of human life.

“He is now preparing a counter-punch. And even if the Ukrainians can see it coming, and will easily absorb that punch, they will need our help for that next and decisive phase – taking back the land bridge.

“This is that continuous strip of conquered land that runs along the coast from the Donbas to Crimea, and which currently blocks Ukrainian access to the Sea of Azov.

“If they can take back that land bridge, or drive their way through it and cut it in two, the Ukrainians have won. It is game over for Putin.”

Zelensky and Boris Johnson pictured in Kyiv in August last year (AP)

The former prime minister said that all Ukraine needs to make this decisive move is “the kind of kit the West has in abundance” and there was no higher “moral purpose” than this being given to Mr Zelensky’s army.

He also said he was supportive of the recent decision to send Challenger 2 tanks to the country.

Footage of Mr Johnson’s trip showed Mr Johnson meeting the Ukrainian president, warmly shaking hands and telling him “it’s an absolute honour to be here again”.

“Honour for us,” Mr Zelensky replied.

This trip comes as he is facing accusations that he allegedly recommended Richard Sharp for the BBC chairman job weeks after Mr Sharp helped him secure a loan of up to £800,000 while he was still in Downing Street.

Earlier this week, Mr Johnson spoke in a panel discussion on Ukraine at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he was introduced as a “legendary figure” in Ukraine.