Kenan AĞAZADE
The news said that the British Prime Minister in the capital of Ukraine and his visit was a big surprise for everybody. In case of visits of such level, everyone becomes usually aware much in advance, both careful diplomatic preparation and media preparation carried out for them. This time, the fact that Boris Johnson was in Kyiv became famous only after the publication of a photograph of his meeting with President Volodimir Zelensky.
Boris Johnson is an experienced politician and a master of cunningly constructed speeches. Thus, this format of the surprise visit speaks more eloquently about the current political moment than even the content of the conversation between the two leaders. Moreover, little known about the content of the speech because of the confidential military circumstances but most likely the main part of the conversation concerned things that were not subject for the wide public audience.
Zelensky and Johnson are very non-standard politicians in their own way, and they especially showed this non-standard approach in the extremely unexpectable conditions of the war with Russia. As noted by many experts, some with admiration and some with great surprise, the Ukrainian president often uses new diplomatic principles and refuses from the old and non-working principles of the international relations and openly reproaching to his partners for inaction or insufficient support. All leaders forgive this emotional critic because he is the leader of a country waging a most difficult and bloody war and his directness is based on the desire to reduce the terrible price that the Ukrainian people pay every day for their independence and freedom. The president’s sincerity serves this purpose better than the politically prized ability to hide thoughts behind exquisitely chosen words.
Boris Johnson is an also highly professional politician and a big specialist of artfully constructed speeches. The penchant for political hooliganism makes the British prime minister akin to the Ukrainian president, who accepts also new leadership standards.
We may only guess what questions the prime minister considered impossible to entrust to the telephone and made a sudden foray into Ukraine, where among other things, it is not so safe and dangerous to be during the war,
From the very beginning of the war, Great Britain began to play one of the key roles in military support for Ukraine. Of course, this is due to the special position that this country traditionally occupies in Europe and in the world.
In addition, Britain is in Europe and traditionally it is the most trusted country of the United States of America, which also makes its own stand out from the crowd. The defense of this unique British approach particularity led to Brexit, one of the main promoters of which was Boris Johnson. But the actual leadership of the prime minister is the important point. Boris Johnson had early rather problematic relations within the country and the party, and the international crisis gives Johnson an opportunity to demonstrate his strongest qualities.
It was such a very specific capacity that Boris Johnson showed up in Kyiv, enhancing the already considerable specialness with surprise. Many experts may predict the questions that the prime minister considered impossible to entrust to the telephone and made a sudden foray into Ukraine, where, among other things, it is a big risk to be physically. Offhand, it can be assumed that some part of the conversation concerned the decisive battle for Donbass unfolding in eastern Ukraine. The British and through it the American intelligence have something to tell Zelensky. Theoretically, they could prepare the unpleasant surprise for the Russian military troops and armed forces of separatists because after the meeting, both the Ukrainian and British leaders looked in very positive mood. In Russia’s place, anyone would be very wary because of this meeting.