British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a surprise appearance in Kyiv and announced additional military aid to Ukraine on April 9.

'This is what courage looks like'

A video of Johnson walking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in central Kyiv was posted on Twitter by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. "This is what democracy looks like. This is what courage looks like. This is what true friendship between peoples and between nations looks like," the ministry said.

Johnson's office also posted a one-minute video of the walk on YouTube.

"I have no doubt at all that an independent sovereign Ukraine will rise again," said Johnson in the video. Johnson's London office was quoted by the BBC as saying the trip had been a "show of solidarity" with Ukraine.

Anti-ship missile systems and 120 armored vehicles

The New York Times said Johnson's London office had announced additional military support to Ukraine during his stay in Kyiv. In addition to the $130 million which Johnson had pledged to Ukraine on April 8, the British leader had committed himself to providing Ukraine with anti-ship missile systems and 120 armored vehicles, the paper said. On April 8, Johnson had also pledged to give Ukraine Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank missiles, the BBC reported.

No tanks had been offered because Johnson had wanted to provide only defensive weapons to Ukraine, The New York Times said. The paper said Johnson also intended to guarantee additional loans to Ukraine but that required parliamentary approval.

The BBC quoted Johnson saying that sanctions against Russia would intensify and reliance on fossil fuels from Russia would decrease.

The paper noted that the leaders of Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia had also visited Kyiv during the War in Ukraine. Johnson was the first leader of a G7 nation to appear in Kyiv for talks with Zelensky during the war, the BBC said.

The day before Johnson's visit, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, had appeared in Kyiv and promised to help Ukraine's efforts to join the European Union quickly, The New York Times said.

Von der Leyen was quoted by The Guardian as saying that it usually took years to decide whether to admit a new member but in the case of Ukraine a decision could be expected in "a matter of weeks."

War crimes have 'permanently polluted' Putin's reputation

Agence France-Presse quoted Johnson as saying Russian President Vladimir Putin had been responsible for "war crimes that have permanently polluted his reputation." He added that Ukrainians had "shown the courage of a lion."

On April 10, the BBC quoted Dr. Andrei Illarionov, Putin's former chief economic adviser, as saying "a real embargo on oil and gas exports from Russia" would bring the war to a halt "within a month or two."
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