Boris Johnson urged Britain to help repair relations between Washington and Kyiv, arguing that Ukraine’s allies must preserve American support while setting out a clear plan for the country’s security.
Writing in a Daily Mail opinion column, Johnson called for stronger pressure on Russia and a commitment to Ukraine’s future in NATO. He also accused the White House of undermining Ukrainian drone defenses.
Johnson wrote that a technical change to Starshield, the military satellite communications service developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, caused Ukrainian interceptors to lose their signals when operators tried to accelerate beyond about 100 mph.
He alleged that the White House ordered the restriction without warning Ukraine. The column did not identify the official responsible or explain the evidence behind that allegation.
President Donald Trump denied responsibility Friday. Reuters reported that Trump said neither he nor Musk was responsible for Ukraine’s loss of access and denied that the United States had imposed restrictions. Reuters had separately reported that the order originated inside the White House.
In Johnson’s account, Ukrainian troops were trying to intercept Iranian-designed Shahed drones at about 1 a.m. Kyiv time Wednesday when the connection problems began. He wrote that the disruption hampered their defenses while Russian attacks continued against civilian buildings and power infrastructure.
Despite his criticism, Johnson warned against allowing the dispute to jeopardize American assistance.
“Every hour, every day, those Ukrainians depend on Starlink and other US help and intelligence,” he wrote. “That must continue to flow.”
He urged Britain to work with allies to ease tensions between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Dispute Over Russian Oil
Johnson also criticized Trump’s approach to Russian energy exports. He argued that a U.S. agreement to buy Russian diesel contradicted Western efforts to restrict the revenue Moscow uses to finance its war.
The column contrasted that agreement with a sanctions law Johnson said Trump had recently signed, giving the president broad powers to penalize countries buying Russian oil and gas.
Johnson argued that the diesel agreement would provide little relief for American fuel buyers. He also rejected blaming Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries for higher prices, attributing the increase instead to the Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Pressure on Europe
European governments also drew criticism. Johnson argued that they had done too little to pressure Putin, continued purchasing Russian gas and had failed to release frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s use.
He called for Kyiv to receive access to those funds and more military technology, alongside a firm Western commitment to its independence.
Johnson argued that Putin would continue seeking control over Ukraine unless Western governments made clear that the country would receive lasting protection through NATO.
The column ended by challenging Ukraine’s allies to explain how they intended to secure that future.
“I can understand the hysteria and disgust about the Trump-Putin deal,” Johnson wrote. “But disgust is not a plan.”
Have something to promote?
Bring your business, services or event to our readers.
