Putin to blame for UK’s high energy bills, says Johnson on surprise visit to Kyiv

 

Putin to blame for UK’s high energy bills, says Johnson on surprise visit to Kyiv

 

Prime minister says while Britons face higher costs, Ukrainians are ‘paying in their blood’ for Russia’s aggression

 

Rowena Mason Deputy political editor

Wed 24 Aug 2022 17.38 BST

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/24/boris-johnson-says-ukraine-will-win-this-war-on-surprise-visit-to-kyiv

 

Vladimir Putin is to blame for British people being hit by high energy bills while Ukrainian people are “paying in their blood”, Boris Johnson has said as he made a final visit to Kyiv as prime minister.

 

In his third visit to the country since Russia invaded in the spring, Johnson urged the international community to “stay the course” in its support for Ukraine. The outgoing prime minister also told the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, that Ukraine “can and will win the war”.

 

Comparing the costs of Russia’s war, he said: “If we’re paying in our energy bills for the evils of Vladimir Putin, the people of Ukraine are paying in their blood.”

 

On Ukraine’s independence day, Johnson announced a further £54m package of support for the country, including unmanned surveillance and missile systems for the armed forces. It includes 850 hand-launched Black Hornet micro-drones and “loitering” munitions to enable Ukraine to better track and target Russian forces.

 

It is also preparing to give minehunting vehicles to Ukraine to help detect Russian explosives off its coast, and further training of Ukrainian military personnel.

 

Speaking from Kyiv, Johnson said: “What happens in Ukraine matters to us all, which is why I am here today to deliver the message that the United Kingdom is with you and will be with you for the days and months ahead, and you can and will win.”

 

Johnson and Zelenskiy held talks on the challenges of the winter ahead for the country. During the visit, the UK prime minister received Ukraine’s highest award that can be bestowed on foreign nationals, known as the order of liberty, for the UK’s staunch support for Ukraine’s freedom.

 

The UK has committed more than £2.3bn of military and financial aid to Ukraine since the invasion began in February.

 

Labour also released messages of support for Ukraine on its independence day. David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, said his party “stands in full solidarity with the Ukrainian people in their righteous struggle for democracy over dictatorship”. He called on the UK government and new prime minister to have a “laser-like focus on maintaining public support for the Ukrainian people, both in Britain and across the international community.

 

“At home, we need to freeze energy bills, insulate homes, and invest in green energy to limit the domestic impact of the conflict, which is exacerbating the cost of living emergency created by 12 years of failed Conservative energy policy,” Lammy said.

 

“Internationally, Britain needs to secure new diplomatic channels to work with our European partners to wean ourselves off Russia’s gas and to exert maximum pressure on Putin.”