Boris Johnson made a surprise morale-boosting visit to Ukraine yesterday as Volodymyr Zelensky urged the West not to trust Vladimir Putin.
The former Prime Minister was spotted watching a sunrise across the Black Sea in Odesa alongside excited Ukrainians taking selfies.
He was joined by former Tory deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft and Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko accompanied by live piano on Langeron beach.
Mr Goncharenko thanked Mr Johnson for his ‘solidarity’ and said it ‘meant a lot to Odesa and Ukrainians’.
It is one of several visits the former PM has made to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.
Mr Johnson condemned Donald Trump‘s ‘sick making’ red-carpet rollout for Putin in Alaska last month.
Since then, Russia’s army has gained more territory in Ukraine and Putin has vowed to carry on fighting if his peace demands – for Ukraine to cede large swathes of territory – are not met.
Mr Zelensky warned that the West should not trust Putin and that his goal was to occupy all of Ukraine.
Boris Johnson (right) pictured with Lord Ashcroft (centre) and Oleksiy Goncharenko (left)
Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) urged the West not to trust Vladimir Putin
It came amid rising tensions in Poland last night with more Russian drones flying in Ukraine near the border.
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk announced that ground-based air defence systems were on the highest alert level and operations were ongoing in a bid to shoot down any drones that crossed into Polish territory.
The alert was focused on Lublin Airport, about 60 miles from the border with Ukraine. Britain said earlier that it was ‘fully committed’ to a new Nato operation designed to shoot down Russian drones and missiles entering the alliance’s airspace.
The Ministry of Defence said the role of UK forces would be revealed shortly but made clear it was a direct response to last week’s incursion by at least 24 drones over Polish territory.
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte launched Operation Eastern Sentry with the stark warning that Russia’s new missiles could travel at five times the speed of sound.
He said they threatened not just Estonia and Lithuania but the whole of Western Europe.
Mr Rutte predicted they would ‘take five or ten minutes longer to reach Madrid or London – than to reach [Estonia and Lithuania capitals] Tallinn or Vilnius’, adding: ‘We all live on the eastern flank.’
Defence analysts believe the Kremlin’s drone launch was a test to gauge Nato’s ability to respond.
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk (pictured) announced that ground-based air defence systems were on the highest alert level
Denmark will now contribute two F-16 fighters and an anti-air warfare frigate to the Nato defence operation, as well as investing £6.7 billion – the largest weapons deal in its history – in surface-to-air missiles.
The operation will also see three French Rafale fighter jets and four German Eurofighters on permanent standby. Poland has already massed around 40,000 troops on its eastern border
Nato said: ‘The United Kingdom has also expressed its willingness to [provide] support.’
Defence Secretary John Healey last week revealed he had asked military advisers to consider how the UK could help bolster Polish air defences.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: ‘The UK is fully committed to playing our part in Nato’s Eastern Sentry following the reckless and dangerous airspace violations by Russia.’
