Boris Johnson has arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit to Ukraine for talks with president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The prime minister’s second trip to the war-torn country comes a day after a joint visit by French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian PM Mario Draghi.
Mr Johnson pulled out of a planned speech to northern Tories in Doncaster without explanation, as well as a visit to Wakefield ahead of next week’s by-election, sparking speculation that he might be heading for Ukraine.
But Downing Street maintained strict secrecy about his whereabouts for security reasons until he arrived.
In a tweet posted with a photo of a smiling PM with his arm round Zelensky’s shoulder, Mr Johnson said simply: “ Mr President, Volodymyr, It is good to be in Kyiv again. “
Mr Johnson previously visited the Ukrainian capital in April in another visit shrouded in secrecy during which he went on a walkabout on the city’s streets.
As he met Zelensky today, he was clutching a notebook dated to the week when he made his first visit.
His second visit came on the day that the EU agreed to offer Ukraine candidate status, in a major step towards membership of the bloc for the former Soviet state.
Mr Johnson spoke with Zelensky by phone on Wednesday, assuring him of the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine. But a readout of the call issued by No 10 gave no hint of the upcoming face-to-face meeting.
