Zelensky Must Not Be Pressured Into a Bad Peace Deal, Warns Boris Johnson
Former British Prime Minister Urges Caution, Doubts Zelensky Will Accept Land-for-Peace Agreement
World Powers Should Not Pressure Ukraine into Accepting a Deal That Does Not Meet Its Needs
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should not be pressured into accepting a bad peace deal with Russia. Speaking alongside Zelensky in Kyiv after holding talks, Johnson urged Russia to step back and said he doubted that Zelensky or any Ukrainian government would accept a land-for-peace deal.
"We must not allow Putin to succeed in his barbaric attempt to destroy Ukraine," Johnson said. "We must continue to support Ukraine with all the military and economic aid it needs to defend itself and to restore its territorial integrity."
Johnson's comments come as peace talks between Ukraine and Russia appear to have stalled. Russia has reportedly demanded that Ukraine cede control of territory in eastern Ukraine, while Ukraine has insisted that it will not give up any of its land.
The Ukrainian news outlet Ukrayinska Pravda reported Thursday that Johnson used his visit to Kyiv to urge Zelensky to be cautious in any negotiations with Russia. Johnson reportedly told Zelensky that he should not be pressured into accepting a deal that did not meet Ukraine's needs.
Johnson's warning is likely to resonate with many Ukrainians, who are wary of any deal that would involve giving up territory to Russia. A recent poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that only 13% of Ukrainians support a peace deal that would involve ceding territory to Russia.
The US and other Western powers have also expressed their support for Ukraine's position. US President Joe Biden has said that the US will not pressure Ukraine to accept a peace deal that it does not want.
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