Zelenskyy Denies Boris Johnson’s Alleged Interference in Ukraine-Russia Peace Efforts

In a recent interview, President Zelenskyy strongly refuted the narrative that Boris Johnson had any role in dissuading Ukraine from pursuing a peace agreement with Russia during the spring of 2022. Zelenskyy emphasized that while Russia repeatedly presented ultimatums during those early months of full-scale invasion, he never approved any deal that compromised Ukraine's rights or sovereignty. He questioned the logic behind the idea that Johnson could have influenced Ukraine at a time when the military situation had already shifted in Ukraine’s favor.

The controversy has resurfaced amid new discussions involving former President Donald Trump’s potential diplomatic initiative to end the war, which has renewed scrutiny of past claims. While some have argued that Western officials, including Johnson, pressured Ukraine to reject any agreement with Russia, Zelenskyy contended that these claims are unfounded, noting that by the time Johnson visited Kyiv, Ukrainian forces had already regained control around the city.

Further complicating the narrative, a member of Zelenskyy’s negotiating team, David Arakhamia, mentioned after returning from Istanbul that Johnson had advised against signing any deal with Moscow, suggesting a missed opportunity for peace. However, both Zelenskyy and Arakhamia later stressed that Ukraine had not been prepared to finalize any agreement under the severe and uncompromising demands put forward by Russia. Russian officials have seized on this snippet of information to paint a picture of Western interference, a version that Zelenskyy firmly denies.

Analysts like Simon Shuster have noted that although there were discussions in Istanbul aimed at negotiating an end to the conflict, crucial issues such as territorial integrity were not resolved. Furthermore, as the grim realities of the war—highlighted by the atrocities in Bucha and other areas—became clear, the prospect of accepting any deal that did not fully protect Ukraine’s interests quickly lost appeal. This, coupled with the absence of security guarantees from Western allies, left Ukraine determined to fight on.

Ultimately, Zelenskyy critiqued the notion that Johnson’s visit could have swayed Ukraine’s strategic decisions. He maintained that even if a moment of vulnerability existed, the timing and context of Johnson’s presence did not allow for any meaningful pressure to alter Ukraine's course, emphasizing that their choice to hold on to military momentum was a matter of national necessity rather than external influence.