WELCOME TO KYIV, MY FRIEND

Boris vows ‘unwavering support’ with £100m in arms for Ukraine

- Marco Giannangeli and David Williamson

UKRAINE’S heroic president praised Boris Johnson as “one of the most principled opponents of the Russian invasion” as the PM flew in on a secret trip to Kyiv.

The Prime Minister shook hands with Volodymyr Zelensky in the defiant capital, pledging his “unwavering” support.

Mr Zelensky greeted him yesterday by saying: “Welcome to Kyiv, my friend!” and called the talks “more than fruitful”.

Mr Johnson said UK armoured vehicles were being added to a £100million package of arms, declaring: “Ukrainians have shown the courage of a lion and you, Volodymyr, have given the roar of that lion.”

He said Vladimir Putin’s “war crimes had permanently polluted his reputation and the reputation of his government” and told Ukraine’s leader: “Thank you for having me today at this incredibly difficult time for you and your country.

“In the last few weeks the world has found new heroes, and those heroes are the people of Ukraine.

“When I was here just a few weeks ago...the defence intelligence we had suggested Russia thought Ukraine could be engulfed in a matter of days and that Kyiv would fall in hours.

“How wrong they were. The Ukrainians have shown the courage of a lion, and you Volodymyr have given the roar of that lion. Your leadership has been extraordinary.