Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that, despite Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, he still considers himself a “Russophile” because of his admiration for Russian culture, Ukrainian Pravda reports.
“I am still a Russophile. I am still fascinated by the Russian language, culture and civilization. Only a fool would not get carried away by this,” he said in an interview with Ukrainian journalists.
He also said that he was “very saddened by what is happening now” and that “it would be absurd to pretend that the Russian people do not support this war, and it is a tragedy.”
Answering a question about what he thinks the future of Russia will be, Johnson said that what is more important is what the future of Ukraine will be.
“This country has been attacked. And it is the Ukrainians who need our support. Ukraine must be free and Ukraine must be independent. Ukraine must choose its own destiny,” Johnson stressed.
During his tenure as British Foreign Secretary (2016-2018), Johnson declared himself a “convinced Russophile” and said he was genuinely interested in improving relations with Russia. He also noted that he is the first foreign minister of Great Britain, who bears the name “Boris”.
Boris Johnson made Britain the “eternal enemy” of Russia
But despite these sympathies, Johnson has become one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters since the full-scale Russian invasion began on February 24 of last year.
The numerous military aid packages approved by his government for Ukraine, including at a time when Kyiv’s other partners were hesitant, made Johnson and Britain favorite targets for threats on Russian television.
In April of this year, the former Russian Prime Minister and President Dmytro Medvedev, now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council in Moscow, called Great Britain Russia’s “eternal enemy”.
“At least until their naughty and disgustingly wet island sinks into the abyss of the sea from the wave created by the latest Russian weapons system,” he threatened.
Russian officials and authorities have also accused the UK of numerous sabotage or attacks on territory it claims, such as the Ukrainian strikes on the Kerch bridge or the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions.
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Source: Hot News
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