Boris Johnson hailed Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion as the besieged country’s “finest hour” in an address to its parliament earlier today.
In the first address to the Verkhovna Rada by a western leader since the conflict began more than two months ago, Johnson echoed the words of wartime PM Winston Churchill “just as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did when he addressed MPs at Westminster in March”, said the BBC.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“With Union flags on show as the PM spoke by video link, he channelled Winston Churchill urging the country to keep resisting the Russian invaders,” agreed the Daily Mail.
Johnson declared: “The so-called irresistible force of Putin’s war machine has broken on the immovable object of Ukrainian patriotism and love of country. This is Ukraine’s finest hour, that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.”
The timing of the expected announcement of additional aid to Ukraine, just days ahead of the UK local elections, has been described as “deeply cynical”, said Sky News.
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said the PM’s arms pledge was the “right decision, but wrong timing”, and that the weapons were “desperately needed” a week ago. She added: “Is it possible that Boris Johnson delayed this move to announce it in a difficult election week?”
-
Pakistan: Trump’s ‘favourite field marshal’ takes chargeIn the Spotlight Asim Munir’s control over all three branches of Pakistan’s military gives him ‘sweeping powers’ – and almost unlimited freedom to use them
-
Codeword: December 6, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
-
Crossword: December 6, 2025The daily crossword from The Week
-
Is a Reform-Tory pact becoming more likely?Today’s Big Question Nigel Farage’s party is ahead in the polls but still falls well short of a Commons majority, while Conservatives are still losing MPs to Reform
-
Ukraine and Rubio rewrite Russia’s peace planFeature The only explanation for this confusing series of events is that ‘rival factions’ within the White House fought over the peace plan ‘and made a mess of it’
-
Andriy Yermak: how weak is Zelenskyy without his right-hand man?Today's Big Question Resignation of Ukrainian president’s closest ally marks his ‘most politically perilous moment yet’
-
Trump’s Ukraine peace talks advance amid leaked callSpeed Read Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit Russia next week
-
US, Kyiv report progress on shifting Ukraine peace planSpeed Read The deal ‘must fully uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty,’ the countries said
-
Defeating Russia’s shadow fleetThe Explainer A growing number of uninsured and falsely registered vessels are entering international waters, dodging EU sanctions on Moscow’s oil and gas
-
Asylum hotels: everything you need to knowThe Explainer Using hotels to house asylum seekers has proved extremely unpopular. Why, and what can the government do about it?
-
Push for Ukraine ceasefire collapsesFeature Talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin were called off after the Russian president refused to compromise on his demands
