Johnson revelation: Germany wanted Ukraine surrendered in case of Russian attack

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What were the leaders of Germany, France and Italy saying about the possibility of Russia invading Ukraine? – Britain’s former prime minister reveals their discussions

THE Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaking to CNN affiliate CNN Portugal, he referred to what its leaders were saying Germany, France and Italy for its eventuality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Johnson said Western attitudes differed significantly before Moscow launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine on February 24, singling out three leading EU countries, with remarks unlikely to go down well in European capitals.

“This thing was a huge shock … we could see the tactical groups of the Russian battalions coming together, but different countries had very different perceptions,” Johnson told CNN Portugal’s Richard Quest.

The former British prime minister claimed that France was “up until the last minute in denial” about a Russian invasion of Ukraine and accused the German government of initially wanting a quick Ukrainian military defeat over a protracted conflict.

Before the start of the war in Ukraine, Germany believed that “if this happens, it will be a disaster, so it would be better if it were over as soon as possible and Ukraine surrendered,” Johnson said, attributing this approach “to all kinds of important financial reasons”.

“I couldn’t support that, I thought it was a destructive way of looking at it. But I can understand why they thought and felt that way,” Johnson continued. Germany is rapidly seeking to reduce its dependence on Russian energy following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Italian government, whose prime minister was Mario Draghi at the time, once said it could not support the stance of other countries because of its “huge” dependence on Russian hydrocarbons.

However, after Russia’s invasion, Johnson emphasized, all countries rallied around Ukraine, providing it with continued support. “All of them, Germans, French, Italians, everyone, including Joe Biden saw that there are simply no options. Because they couldn’t agree with this guy,” Johnson said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Johnson said this was an “important moment”, adding that “the EU has done brilliantly” in its confrontation with Russia since then.

“After all my concerns … I pay tribute to the way the EU acted. They were united. The penalties were harsh,” Johnson continued.

Boris Johnson referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Zelensky has been “undoubtedly outstanding” as a leader. “He’s a very brave guy. I think the story of this clash would have been completely different, completely different if he hadn’t been there.”

He added that “if Ukraine chooses to join the EU, it should pursue it. And I think it would be good for Ukraine,” he would help it achieve political and economic reforms. Kyiv applied to join the bloc earlier this year.

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