Britain’s PM pledges more sanctions and arms during surprise visit to Kyiv

British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, pledged tighter sanctions on Russia and offered President Volodymyr Zelensky more defensive arms during a surprise visit to the country’s capital Kyiv on Saturday.

At a meeting shrouded in secrecy until Johnson appeared in the Ukrainian capital, the two leaders cemented the close ties they have nurtured since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Reuters reported.

The move caps weeks of lobbying by Johnson to meet Zelensky.

“We have to exert even more pressure on the Russian Federation, to exert pressure through supporting Ukraine. In defending itself, we have to exert pressure in the form of sanctions, and I’m grateful to the United Kingdom that continues and intensifies the sanctions and also provides a significant support of Ukraine by reinforcing our defence capacities. The other democratic Western countries should follow the example of the United Kingdom,” Zelensky said.

Johnson replied: “Together with our partners, we are going to ratchet up the economic pressure and we will continue to intensify, week by week, the sanctions on Russia.”

He added that the measures would include moving away from the use of Russian hydrocarbons, Reuters reported.