Boris Johnson, the ex-Prime Minister of the U.K., is quite clear about his stance on the presence of European forces in Ukraine. He brushed aside Russia’s ongoing grievances, saying, “If they don’t want foreign troops on Ukrainian soil, I’ve got a brilliant idea — they bog off,” during his chat with the Kyiv Independent on September 12.
Johnson’s irritation isn’t just aimed at the Kremlin, though. During the recent Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference held in Kyiv, he expressed his dissatisfaction with Ukraine’s European partners too.
For months now, European leaders have been mulling over security assurances for Ukraine, discussing deploying foreign military personnel to deter any future Russian aggression; however, this would only happen after a ceasefire.
“We’re slipping into a ridiculous chicken and egg dilemma here, a trap laid by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, where all these so-called security measures and troops are meaningless unless there’s a ceasefire or armistice in place,” he said.
And let’s be real—Russia has no plans to stop the conflict anytime soon. Recent statements from Russian military leadership on August 30 clearly indicated that fighting would continue alongside missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
So, what’s Johnson’s take on the matter? He believes European troops should go to Ukraine right away—without waiting for Moscow’s nod or a halt to hostilities.
“Just get on with it,” he responded when asked whether European nations lack the bravery to cross one of Russia’s many red lines in their ongoing invasion.
According to him, a strategy shift is needed that forces the Kremlin to realize the fight is effectively over. While pushing Putin out of the areas he controls may be out of reach, the cost of trying to reclaim the rest could be insurmountable. The West needs to show its resolve.
“The way to prove this commitment is to bring the Coalition of the Willing into Ukraine,” he emphasized.
Johnson highlighted that the European troops wouldn’t be there just for combat but primarily to provide training and logistics, acknowledging that “Ukrainians are far more capable than Western Europeans when it comes to fighting this war.”
Ultimately, he pointed out, these European forces would serve a significant message: the decision on military presence in Ukraine rests solely with Ukraine, not Russia.
