When Ukraine needed help, Boris Johnson was there

The Conservative Party appears to have had enough of Boris Johnson. After a week of ministerial musical chairs that began with the resignations of Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer — historically the second most powerful government office — and Sajid Javid, the Health and Social Care Secretary, and himself a former chancellor, Johnson finally appears to have concluded the game was up.

Of course, being Boris Johnson, he has only resigned as prime minister after a fashion. He seems determined to stay on as a caretaker prime minister and, given his reputation for deviousness, speculation abounds that he somehow will contrive to remain in power. That is unlikely, however. It is clear that not only the Labour opposition but his own party leadership wants him to depart No. 10 immediately. It therefore is only a matter of time until the man who led the world’s oldest political party to one of its greatest electoral victories less than three years ago will return in ignominy to Parliament’s backbenches.

Johnson’s term in office was marred by numerous scandals. It also marked Britain’s formal and highly controversial departure from the European Union, though the status of Northern Ireland remains unclear. Indeed, it is arguable that Brexit has ignited yet another outburst of regional nationalism: Nicola Sturgeon, the capable and shrewd Scottish First Minister and Scottish Nationalist Party leader, has called for another referendum in 2023 on Scottish independence. While Johnson has rejected her request, as no doubt will the person who succeeds him, the issue of whether a regional government can call for a referendum ultimately will be resolved only by Britain’s Supreme Court.

In at least one respect, however, there can be little doubt that Johnson demonstrated true leadership. As he asserted in his farewell statement on Thursday, “I am immensely proud of the achievements of this government … in the last few months leading the West in standing up to [Vladimir] Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.” Unlike President Biden and his senior officials, Johnson never publicly self-deterred from providing weapons to the embattled nation for fear of Russian employment of nuclear weapons. For better or for worse — and in this case for the better — self-deterrence is not in Johnson’s character.

Moreover, and again unlike Biden, Johnson did not hesitate to visit Kyiv. He did so on April 9, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before any of the other leaders of major Western economies. He did so again on June 17, announcing, “My visit today, in the depths of this war, is to send a clear and simple message to the Ukrainian people: The UK is with you, and we will be with you until you ultimately prevail.” Biden has yet to travel to Ukraine.

Under Johnson’s leadership, by the end of June Britain had committed over $4.5 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine, rendering it second only to the United States in providing support to Kyiv. Indeed, the level of British assistance more than doubled that of Poland, Ukraine’s third largest supplier. Moreover, London’s support also included training Ukrainian troops in Britain. During his June visit to Kyiv, Johnson offered to have Britain train up to 10,000 soldiers every 120 days. That program has begun.

Johnson has been belittled as a clown, and he certainly at times has exhibited what can only be termed clownish behavior. But there has been nothing clownish about his support for Ukraine’s determined and heroic effort to defend itself against the Russian invader. Indeed, Johnson’s exertions have buoyed NATO support for Ukraine and rekindled the “Special Relationship” by working closely with the United States to bolster Kyiv’s efforts and, no less important, morale.

In this regard he has established a critical standard not only for his successor but for his fellow leaders of the Western world, whose enthusiasm might wane as their economies suffer from the impact of costly fuel prices. To his great credit, Johnson has not allowed his own country’s sagging economy to stand in the way of his assisting the valiant Ukrainians. And for that he deserves the thanks of those who value liberty and freedom above all.

Dov S. Zakheim is a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and vice chairman of the board for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He was under secretary of Defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer for the Department of Defense from 2001 to 2004 and a deputy under secretary of Defense from 1985 to 1987.