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Boris Johnson promises that the UK and its partners will lend their support so that “Ukraine is never invaded again”.

He also said the discovery of civilian bodies in Ukrainian cities has “permanently polluted” the Russian president. Vladimir Poutinethe reputation of.

Here’s more of the exchange we reported between Johnson and Volodymyr Zelensky as they spoke to the media after the British Prime Minister paid an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian President in the beleaguered capital of Kyiv.

Zelenskiy said, according to the official interpreter: “Our most sincere friend, a friend of Ukraine, the leader of the United Kingdom and the ally of our country, I am very grateful, Boris, for this visit, c “is very important at this difficult and terrible time for our country. Other Western democratic countries should follow the example of the United Kingdom.

“It is time to impose a complete embargo on Russian energy resources; they should increase the amount of weapons provided. The people of Ukraine appreciate the UK’s support on our paths to peace.

Johnson said: “I want to start, Volodymyr, by saluting, once again, the bravery of the people of Ukraine who have defied the appalling aggression we have seen.

“Over the past few weeks, the world has found new heroes, and those heroes are the people of Ukraine.”

Johnson and Zelenskiy each stood on a small podium against a backdrop of alternating British and Ukrainian flags.

Johnson took a ratchet action saying, “Together with our partners, we will increase the economic pressure and we will continue to escalate sanctions against Russia week after week.”

He continued: “Not only freeze assets in banks and sanction oligarchs, but move away from using Russian hydrocarbons, and we will give you the support you need.

This is clearly Johnson’s subjective opinion of what Zelenskiy needs, given that the Ukrainian leader has asked the west for much heavier weapons to be used to push Russia back in counter-offensive mode, not just defensively as Ukraine’s biggest neighbor continues to advance. in many areas, even withdrawing from the vicinity of kyiv.

Johnson continued, appearing to choose his words carefully: “Economic support but also, of course, defensive military support, in which I’m proud to say the UK helped lead the way.”

He then refers to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus.

“Coming to your central point, Volodymyr, I think we are now developing a vision for the future. Heraclitus, I think, said ‘war is the father of all things’…it was a exaggeration, war is not the father of everything, but what this war certainly produces is clarity about the vision of a future for Ukraine where, with friends and partners, we, the UK and others, provide the equipment, technology, know-how, [security] intelligence so that Ukraine is never invaded again.