Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson is once again calling for NATO boots on the ground in Ukraine. He claims he does not “think we should be sending in combat troops to take on the Russians” but that a negotiated peace deal or ceasefire should involve “multinational European peace-keeping forces monitoring the border, helping the Ukrainians.”
Johnson made the comments in an interview with The Telegraph, where he also stated bluntly that the Ukraine war is a Western “proxy war” with Russia, and the West should be giving its “proxies” stronger military support. He believes full integration into NATO is the only long-term solution to Ukrainian security—a move that would embroil America and the rest of NATO in any renewed conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
Multiple sources, including members of Ukrainian and British political circles, have indicated that Johnson played a pivotal role in scuttling early peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. In Kiev, Johnson reportedly urged Ukrainian officials to continue fighting, hamstringing talks that could have ended hostilities in 2022. David Arahamiya, leader of Ukraine’s ruling party, and former Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Nadine Dorries are among those who have confirmed Johnson’s intervention.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin also said in an interview with Tucker Carlson that Russia was open to a negotiated settlement and had been actively pursuing such discussions before Johnson’s involvement. Naftali Bennet, the Prime Minister of Israel at the outbreak of the war, has also said the West “blocked” an early peace deal, with Johnson taking a particularly “aggressive” line in favor of war.
While in office, Johnson advocated for increased military recruitment within Britain and supported the idea of conscription.
He has also argued that if U.S. President-elect Donald J. Trump were to withdraw American support for Ukraine as part of a peace push, Britain should consider deploying troops. He suggests that British forces should be ready to intervene if Russia gains a strategic advantage.