In honour of Boris Johnson’s support for the nation, thousands of Ukrainians have signed a petition to make him their prime minister.
Since Tuesday, some 2,500 people have signed the ironic petition that also asks for the British Prime Minister to be given Ukrainian citizenship.
Johnson has fallen out of favour at home and was eventually had to announce his resignation in early July after hundreds of ministers left their posts, but he is still revered in Kyiv for his outspoken backing of Ukraine as it repels Russian aggression.
Paintings, murals, and even cakes in the capital of Ukraine feature the image of the person some Ukrainians jokingly refer to as “Johnsoniuk.”
Johnson’s advantages are detailed in the petition, which is addressed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy:
“Global support for Boris Johnson, a firm stance against the military invasion of Ukraine, (and) wisdom in the political, financial, and legal realms,” the statement reads.
Tuesday, a few hours after the petition was posted, Johnson gave Zelenskiy the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award for displaying “great courage, defiance, and dignity” in the face of Russia’s invasion, according to his Downing Street office.
Zelenskiy did not mention the new petition when accepting the award, but if it gathers 25,000 signatures, he will be required to react in writing.
Zelenskiy, who accepted the honour via video link from Kyiv, referenced Churchill, the British prime minister during World War II, as saying that Johnson “had no idea of quitting the struggle” when things got difficult.