Johnson has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters as it tries to defend itself against Russia’s unprovoked attack, and Wednesday’s trip was his third visit to the Ukrainian capital since the war began in late February. He became one of the first foreign leaders to make the precarious trip to the Ukrainian capital in late April, then returned for another surprise visit in June. Johnson has forged a close relationship with Zelensky, who said he was sorry to see the British prime minister leave power when the ruling Conservative Party forced him to resign in July. On Wednesday, Zelensky presented Johnson with a going-away gift, awarding him the Order of Freedom for “the work Boris has done for our country and all of Europe.” The UK has provided more than 2.3 billion pounds ($2.71 billion) in military and financial aid to Ukraine since the start of the invasion, according to a Downing Street statement. On Wednesday, the UK government announced it would provide Ukraine with mine hunting vehicles, drones and munitions worth 54 million pounds ($63.5 million). CNN’s Niamh Kennedy, Benjamin Brown and Karem Smith contributed to this article.
