Boris Johnson urges Europe: Don't take Trump too literally
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has appealed to European leaders, suggesting they should not take Donald Trump's words too literally. According to Johnson, Trump's statements "are not intended to be historically accurate but to shock Europeans into action."
Earlier this week, Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Among other comments, Trump mentioned him being a "poor negotiator" and additionally suggested that Kyiv is responsible for the Russian invasion in 2022.
"When will we Europeans stop being shocked by Donald Trump?"
On Wednesday, Johnson addressed Trump's recent remarks by posting a message on platform X, beginning with:
"When are we Europeans going to stop being scandalized about Donald Trump and start helping him to end this war?," he began, adding, "Of course Ukraine didn’t start the war. You might as well say that America attacked Japan at Pearl Harbor. Of course a country undergoing a violent invasion should not be staging elections. There was no general election in the UK from 1935 to 1945," he wrote, also emphasising that Zelensky's ratings are not as low as the US president claims. "In fact, they are about the same as Trump's," he stated.
Johnson further suggested that Trump's statements are part of a negotiating strategy, writing: "Trump’s statements are not intended to be historically accurate but to shock Europeans into action," said the former prime minister.
Since leaving office, Johnson has actively lobbied for support for Ukraine. He has also called on European leaders to "to get serious and fast" in the face of talks between Russia and the USA.
