Boris Johnson, former prime minister of the United Kingdom, is an exceptional politician. In his own country his popularity has plummeted after three years in office as prime minister, but his international image and influence are still exceptional. He is even in contact with Donald Trump and has influence with US Republicans.

Johnson also holds a special place in Ukrainians’ hearts and among the Ukrainian leadership, which is why he continues to visit Kyiv.

European Pravda's editor Sergiy Sydorenko met with him on the sidelines of the Yalta European Strategy conference on the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Our short interview turned out to be honest, thought-provoking, and typically emotional for Johnson. Read the full interview - Boris Johnson: "Defeat by Putin is not in Trump's interests. The big picture is Ukraine is going to win."

I think it's basically because everybody understands that following the events of 2023, it's very difficult to advance against very dug-in Russian positions. But the big picture is Ukraine is going to win!

According to the CIA director, Bill Burns, you have killed or injured 315,000 Russian troops and destroyed thousands of battle tanks. You've recaptured more than half of the territory that Putin initially occupied.

And that's why you're going to win.

Because the West will continue to support Ukraine until Ukraine wins. Ultimately, Western industrial strength – yes, it’s slow manufacturing the shells now, I wish it could be faster, I wish more equipment could get to Ukraine faster. But it will come.

And when it comes, when there are more long-range shells, more HIMARS, more ATACMS, more Storm Shadow, and more stuff to use, then I think Crimea is a very interesting prospect.

But now people are saying to themselves: first of all, it's possible to take back Crimea. Secondly, Putin is very vulnerable in Crimea.

And if you look at the infrastructure, the logistics, there's a big opportunity there.

If Ukraine were to fall to Putin, it would be a disaster for the whole world. And then he might attack a NATO country.

He must not succeed. He must fail.

But I’m not as pessimistic as some people about Trump.

I don't think any president of the United States of America can allow Putin to win in Ukraine.

I just don't see how it's possible.

If you look at the history, he [Donald Trump] was the first American president to give serious weaponry to Ukraine – the Javelins, which were very important in the battle for Kyiv.

American domestic politics are complicated. In the run-up to the election, there will be lots of people saying all sorts of things. But when it comes to it, fundamentally, the interests of the United States of America are in supporting Ukraine, in supporting democracy, in preventing aggression.

I'm not against negotiations if they can achieve anything.

But I remember very well the negotiations with Kim Jong Un. Do you remember Donald Trump's negotiations with North Korea?

I don't think that in the end, it will make any difference. 

Putin wants to subjugate Ukraine. He wants to destroy Ukraine as a state. I don't see what the negotiation is.