Ukraine president calls reports of Johnson’s interference “illogical” and dismisses them as Russian propaganda.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected claims that former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson persuaded him to reject a peace deal with Russia in the early stages of Russia’s invasion in 2022. In an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Zelenskyy called the allegations “illogical,” stating that there was no truth to the notion that Johnson had influenced his decision regarding peace talks.
“There were several approaches with ultimatums, and I never gave my approval for it,” Zelenskyy explained, referring to Russia’s demands for an end to the invasion. He questioned the logic of the accusations, stating: “What was he supposed to be talking us out of?”
These claims gained traction after a report from Ukrainska Pravda in May 2022 suggested that Ukrainian and Russian negotiators had come close to a peace agreement in late March 2022. The article implied that Johnson’s visit to Kyiv in April 2022 had thwarted the potential deal.
While the Kremlin has used these reports to argue that Ukraine rejected a peace deal at the behest of the West, Johnson has previously dismissed the claims as “Russian propaganda.”
The British PM’s surprise visit to Kyiv in April 2022 came six weeks after Russia’s full-scale invasion began, and during the visit, Johnson publicly reaffirmed the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine.
The debate over these early peace talks has gained new relevance as former US President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Zelenskyy soon. Trump has signaled interest in brokering a deal with Russia, raising concerns in Western capitals that his approach may put pressure on Ukraine to accept a peace deal on terms that could favor Russian President Vladimir Putin.