Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he believes US President Donald Trump is capable of brokering peace in Ukraine if he applies the same resolve that brought about the Gaza ceasefire.


“Yes,” Johnson told Al Arabiya English in an exclusive interview when asked if Trump could end the war. “…he can. Like he did with Hamas and with Netanyahu, he needs to show Putin that he, that Trump, wants Ukraine to be free. I think once Putin understands that’s what America’s real objective is, they will find a way through. They will sort it out.”

The former premier, who was the first world leader to visit Kyiv after Russia’s invasion, said he remains convinced that “peace should involve a free, sovereign, independent Ukraine.” He added, “The faster we get to that solution, the better. We need to speed up because this war has been going on for three and a half years. As Donald Trump rightly says, too many people are being killed, and it should end.”

Outlining steps he believes could accelerate an end to the conflict, Johnson proposed unfreezing $300 billion of Russian funds held in Brussels and giving them to Ukraine “as a down payment on the bill the Russians will have to pay for reparations.” He also called for allowing Kyiv to target Russian bases launching attacks on Ukrainian cities and to strike refineries supporting Moscow’s war machine.

“Putin’s bombing Ukrainian cities every night with drones and missiles,” Johnson said. “They’re coming from these bases in Russia. The Ukrainians should have the permission to take out those bases.”He also urged Western governments to “crack down on the shadow fleet,” referring to tankers moving Russian oil in violation of sanctions. “Sink them,” he said. “Something should happen to them to stop this.”

Johnson further suggested that European ground forces, or the “coalition of the willing,” should be deployed to “safe parts of Ukraine” to demonstrate that Kyiv alone decides “who their alliances are with, which foreign troops come onto their soil, and not Moscow.”

“Boots on the ground now,” he said. “Under no circumstances are these guys going to be fighting, shooting against Russians. Never. That’s not going to happen. But sending them shows Putin that Ukrainians decide now and forever who their alliances are with.”

Rejecting claims that Russia’s size makes its victory inevitable, Johnson argued, “Russia is losing. They’ve been saying Ukraine is going to be conquered for three years, and Russia has still taken less than 20 percent of Ukrainian territory. Half of Russia’s oil refineries are now out of action.”

He concluded by emphasizing that the United States cannot bear the burden alone. “America can’t do it on its own,” Johnson said. “The Europeans – we’ve all got to support by exerting more pressure.”