Ukrainian government comments on former UK PM Boris Johnson's "peace plan"

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, has stated that the "peace proposals" put forward by former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which have been the subject of heated debate in Ukraine, reflect his personal views.

Source: Interfax-Ukraine news agency, as reported by European Pravda, citing Stefanishyna during a meeting with journalists in Kyiv on 22 July

Details: Stefanishyna said Johnson "is acting solely on his own initiative. These are his own thoughts."

Quote from Stefanishyna: "We should appreciate his courage, because on his own initiative he met with [Donald] Trump. He tried to explain the situation in Ukraine. Such a voice is very valuable because it has authority, recognition and communication with his counterparts from the Republican Party."

According to Stefanishyna, Johnson's proposals are intended to "create a field for discussion".

"He is acting in the best interests of Ukraine and he can afford to do so, because he knows the position of our president and the position of Ukrainians," Stefanishyna told reporters.

On 16 July, Boris Johnson met with US presidential candidate Donald Trump to discuss the latest developments in Ukraine. He then unveiled a peace plan in an opinion piece for the Daily Mail that could end the war "on the right terms for Ukraine and the West".

His vision is for Kyiv to regain control of the territory it controlled as of 24 February 2022. The US would provide Ukraine with all the weapons required and would not stand in the way of NATO membership. Furthermore, Ukrainian soldiers may eventually replace the American troops in Europe.

In exchange, Russia would be promised specific guarantees of "protection for Russian speakers" in Ukraine, as well as the chance of rejoining the Group of Seven and possible normalisation of relations with NATO. Johnson believes Trump is capable of carrying out this strategy.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with US presidential candidate Donald Trump, during which Trump said he wanted to bring Ukraine and Russia together at the negotiating table and "bring peace to the world".

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