Dmitry Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, believes that no replacement could match Boris Johnson’s loyalty
In Europe’s capitals, politicians largely celebrated the fall of Boris Johnson. But not in Kyiv, writes “Politico”. Volodymyr Zelensky told his British counterpart: “We have no doubt that Great Britain’s support will be maintained, but your personal leadership and charisma have made it special».
The apparent friendship between them has helped cement the UK’s reputation as one of Russia’s staunchest opponents in recent years, despite the … cynics’ view that Johnson was also seeking a high-profile distraction from his involvement in several domestic scandals.
With Boris Johnson now set to step down as prime minister on September 6, one question remains in Kyiv: will the UK’s close ties with Ukraine survive?
Dmitry Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, believes that no replacement could match Boris Johnson’s commitment to the cause.
“Johnson set a different standard of conduct. No one can replace thatKuleba said last week, highlighting the “chemistry” between the two leaders that he said “probably wouldn’t happen” under anyone else.
Johnson’s close friends also fear a new conservative prime minister could take a softer line.
One of Johnson’s longest-standing political allies told Politico that the prime minister’s departure was “a real danger” to Ukraine, adding: “It’s a loss to have someone like him go.”
The open race to succeed Johnson has now narrowed to two candidates, Liz Truss, his foreign secretary and currently front-runner, and Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor whose resignation hastened Johnson’s downfall. So far neither has offered any suggestion that they would change course on the Ukraine issue.
Indeed, Ukraine provided a rare moment of unity in an otherwise fragile prime-time televised debate between Sunak and Tras on Monday night.
Sunak said that “collectively we can all as a country be extremely proud of the contribution and leadership that the UK has shown in resisting Russian aggression and that will continue, I imagine, whoever becomes prime minister.”
Sophia Gaston, director of the British Foreign Policy Group think tank, predicted that there would inevitably be “distinct” leadership styles in Ukraine, with “more or less complete continuity under Truss because she has been quite active in shaping current policy of the current government”.
“We know much less about Rishi’s foreign policy instincts because, unlike Truss, he has never served in a foreign policy or defense portfolio,” Gaston added. Many of the foreign policy experts within the Conservative Party see both options before them and despair…
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