While the informal title of “leader of the Free World” belongs to the president of the United States by default, in the midst of Russia’s bloody war in Ukraine, Joe Biden lost this title to Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of Britain.
The Trip That Biden Wouldn’t Make
Western military supplies have been crucial in helping the Ukrainians push back against Russia.
While US military aid has been quite significant, there is another western nation, the UK, that has been far more proactive in providing support for the Ukrainians.
As Joe Biden has been all about “not angering Putin”, British leader Boris Johnson has been far more assertive and categorical in proclaiming the need to see Russia defeated.
His position has been far more consistent than anything Sleepy Joe uttered on the topic.
On Friday, however, Britain’s conservative Prime Minister showed up to be on a surprise visit to Kyiv to meet with plucky Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to a report by The Daily Mail, Boris has been “eager for weeks” to make the trip to Kyiv, but his staff has been restraining that because of the risks.
The first foreign leaders who visited Zelenskyy in Kyiv – while the Russian hordes were still at the city’s gates – were the leaders of Poland, Czechia, and Slovenia.
The Ukrainians have the courage of a lion.
President @ZelenskyyUa has given the roar of that lion.
The UK stands unwaveringly with the people of Ukraine.
Slava Ukraini 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/u6vGYqmK4V
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 9, 2022
At a handshake distance. @BorisJohnson and @ZelenskyyUa walked through the center of Kyiv and talked to ordinary Kyivans. This is what democracy looks like. This is what courage looks like. This is what true friendship between peoples and between nations looks like. pic.twitter.com/ZcdL6NqNp2
— Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 9, 2022
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered fresh financial and military support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a surprise visit to Kyiv as Russian forces amass troops in the east of the country https://t.co/PAkvqJ23MX pic.twitter.com/UaJKQjWT43
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 10, 2022
Symbol of resilience of 🇺🇦 was presented by Lera Polyanskova from Kyiv to @BorisJohnson during his impromptu walk through Kyiv with @ZelenskyyUa. The same ceramic jug in the shape of a rooster by Prokip Bidasyuk miraculously survived in #Borodyanka, destroyed by Russians.
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/NFcntnGuuO— Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 10, 2022
British Support for Ukraine ‘Will Go Down in History’
Considering how proactive Johnson and the British government have been in supporting Ukraine against Russia, the visit by the UK’s Prime Minister is certainly deemed very significant.
After walking around the Ukrainian capital and personally seeing the damage from Russian bombardment and infiltration, Johnson announced Britain is going to provide Ukraine with 120 heavy armored vehicles, plus the much-coveted by Kyiv anti-ship missiles.
It remains to be seen whether the supplies in question would arrive in time for the upcoming grand battle with Putin’s hordes.
Zelenskyy declared the leadership that Britain exhibited so far in the war is going to “go down in history”.
During their joint press conference in the Ukrainian capital, Johnson himself declared the people of Ukraine “are a lion” for standing up to Putin, and Zelenskyy himself is that lion’s roar.
Johnson’s visit in Kyiv has raised even more powerfully the question of whether or why Biden wouldn’t go personally to the Ukrainian capital.
On Saturday, the White House once again made it clear the prospects of Biden paying a visit to Ukraine and Kyiv in the near future are nonexistent.
Considering his year-long failed efforts to appease Putin and his loss of the 20-year-long war on terror in Afghanistan, Biden hasn’t exactly been living up to the standards of being the “leader of the Free World.”
Therefore, it’s safe to say that Boris Johnson seems to have replaced Biden in that regard.
Today I met my friend President @ZelenskyyUa in Kyiv as a show of our unwavering support for the people of Ukraine.
We're setting out a new package of financial & military aid which is a testament of our commitment to his country's struggle against Russia’s barbaric campaign. pic.twitter.com/KNY0Nm6NQ3
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 9, 2022
Prime Minister Boris Johnson met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday on a surprise visit to Kyiv.
Full story: https://t.co/Cd8NSO9GAw pic.twitter.com/MhLP2Oem3l
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 10, 2022
Boris Johnson was gifted a cockerel jug on his surprise visit to Kyiv.
The PM's visit comes a day after at least 50 people were killed in an attack on the Kramatorsk rail station in eastern Ukraine, described by Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a war crime.https://t.co/RWA5eJ9YdW pic.twitter.com/kpB1UrDBvm
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 10, 2022