Boris Johnson talks to Zelenskyy, discusses Mariupol, military aid & more amid war

On the 85th day of brutal Russia-Ukraine war, the United Kingdom's Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to express 'solidarity.' The British Prime Minister reaffirmed Britain's support for the Ukrainian people, particularly the valiant defenders of Mariupol. On May 19, Johnson added in a tweet that he had a wide-ranging discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the ongoing conflict.

Johnson tweeted, "Reaffirmed British solidarity with the Ukrainian people to my friend @ZelenskyyUa this morning, particularly for the brave defenders of Mariupol. The President and I had a wide ranging discussion."

Johnson informed Zelenskyy of the UK's defence assistance, which includes long-range artillery, shore-to-ship missiles, and unmanned drones. He also stated that it is part of the UK's new £1.3 billion military aid package for Ukraine. The British prime minister followed up with a tweet saying that the two leaders discussed how to mitigate the global economic damage caused by Putin's reckless blockade of Black Sea ports.

He continued, "we are urgently considering options to open critical sea and land supply routes for Ukrainian grain stocks."

Furthermore, according to Johnson, 50,000 Ukrainians have now arrived in the UK safely, and the British government is doing everything it can to assist them in establishing lives here. He also stated that the UK's resolve is unwavering, with over 100,000 visas issued through the schemes and new sanctions imposed on Russian airlines.

Russia-Ukraine war

The war between Russia and Ukraine is now in its 85th day. Sweden and Finland moved forward with their NATO membership applications in a massive move, prompting Moscow to issue new warnings about "far-reaching consequences." On the other hand, Azovstal defenders were evacuated after more than two months of fighting. Meanwhile, the United States announced an additional $215 million in food aid to Ukraine.

Further, Russian troops intend to cut off the Luhansk region from the rest of Ukraine by seizing control of the Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway, according to Serhiy Haidai, head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, via Telegram. The head of the region stated, "Unfortunately, the situation is getting worse. Because the enemy amassed all its forces in order to either take Sievierodonetsk or cut the Lysychansk-Bakhmut route. And it's not just in the area of ​​Popasna or Bilohorivka. They are already trying to cut the route near Bakhmut in order to make it impossible to evacuate people and thwart humanitarian deliveries."

Image: AP