BORIS Johnson told world leaders at the G7 that they must all chip in to help an Iraq-style “surge” to help Ukraine defeat Putin, Trending In The News can reveal.
The PM said more heavy arms, intelligence and training were needed to help hero President Zelensky “score a goal before half time” against the Russian invaders.
Yesterday BoJo arrived at the Bavarian summit to warn the West must not go soft on support for Ukraine – or risk giving succor to other global baddies like China.
Suggesting the war risks descending in stalemate, he said: “We should think of it as a surge.”
US General David Petraeus coined the “surge” tactic to break deadlock in the war in Iraq in 2007 with a massive influx of arms and troops to tackle insurgency.
The plea came during a meeting with President Macron on Sunday morning, where the PM warned “any attempt to settle the conflict now will only cause enduring instability and give Putin licence to manipulate both sovereign countries and international markets in perpetuity.”
Trending In The News understands Mr Macron said the preferred outcome would be a victory for Ukraine, but the West must be ready to “get Zelensky to the best possible place to make a peace deal” if and when he is ready to do so. (KEEP)
As they leaders gathered in the sweltering Alps, Mr Johnson and Canada’s Justin Trudeau openly mocked Mad Vlad Putin’s love of topless photo ops.
At the start of talks between the leaders of the industrial powers, the PM declared “we have to show that we’re tougher than Putin” as he took off jacket.
When the Canadian PM quipped back suggesting they go for a “bare chested horseback ride”, BoJo said they should “show their pecks”.
GRAIN DRAIN
But the summit risks coming unstuck tomorrow in a row over biofuel.
With millions 25 million tonnes of grain blockaded in Ukraine risking world famine, the UK and Germany are pushing for the US to ease off using grain to produce green fuels.
Mr Johnson and US President Joe Biden will not hold a one on one meeting at the summit, but both sides played down talk of a rift.
Meanwhile in a round of broadcast interviews on Sunday morning, BoJo said he would be “honoured” to host the hero Ukrainian president if Zelensky felt able to leave his war-torn country.
Again the PM stressed the most important thing now for Ukraine was for western leaders at the G7 summit in Germany to remain united in support of President Zelensky.
“I think that Volodymyr Zelensky has done an absolutely amazing job of leading his country and leading world opinion in an appalling time,” Mr Johnson told ITV News at the summit in Bavaria.
Asked if he wanted to offer the Ukrainian leader a state visit, Mr Johnson said: “If he ever becomes free to leave and it makes sense for him to leave Ukraine, then obviously the UK would be only too honoured to host him.
“But the most important thing is for us to continue to be united here at the G7. And we are.”
Read More on Trending In The News
Mr Johnson is using meetings at the G7 to urge counterparts to remain committed to supporting Ukraine and not to push for any peace deal which would see Vladimir Putin able to claim victory.
Despite concerns about the impact on the cost of living from increased energy and food prices, Mr Johnson said: “I think people in the G7, the leaders, can still see how vital it is that we stand together for freedom.
“Because if we don’t, we will pay a much, much higher price later on.
“If we allow Putin to get away with it, the consequences for the world in legitimating further aggression, further violence are much, much worse.”
Mr Zelensky, who will address G7 leaders by video link on Monday, pleaded for more air defence support from western allies.
After dozens of Russian missiles targeted Ukrainian towns and cities, he used his nightly address to say: “This confirms that sanctions packages against Russia are not enough, that Ukraine needs more armed assistance, and that air defence systems – the modern systems that our partners have – should be not in training areas or storage facilities, but in Ukraine, where they are now needed.
“Needed more than anywhere else in the world.”
