Speaking to the Sunday Times, Zelensky said it would be a priority to extend an invitation to the next British prime minister – Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak – and admitted he was worried when he learned Johnson would resign.
“When we knew there was going to be a change of government, we were all worried,” he admitted, commenting on the resignation Johnson announced last July, which will only become effective on Tuesday.
Similarly, in an article published in “Mail on Sunday,” Zelensky highlighted Johnson’s support and leadership, commenting, “A leader is one who communicates. A leader is one who mediates between a country and its people, and a leader has an impact on society.”
Regarding the upcoming Conservative Party leader and British prime minister, the Ukrainian president said he was confident bilateral relations were “on the same level” as they were with Boris Johnson.
“In both our meetings and conversations, Boris asked a very good question: What else? What else do you need?”
“I know it wasn’t easy for Boris Johnson because he had to deal with a lot of internal challenges. Prioritizing support for Ukraine takes a lot of courage and determination,” he added.
In response to the praise, Johnson thanked Zelensky on his Twitter account for his “kind words” and emphasized that “the UK’s support for Ukraine and its people is unwavering.”
Similarly, Zelensky highlighted the UK’s solidarity with his country and described Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace as “friends of Ukraine”.
Johnson had announced his resignation in July after the resignation of a number of members of his government, in protest against his administration and the scandals that affected his leadership, specifically the Downing Street parties during the pandemic.
The new Conservative Party leader will be announced on Monday, ahead of a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II, the head of state, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Tuesday.
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