According To Former British PM Boris Johnson, Trump’s Comeback Might Be a “Big Win for the World”

In support of the front-runner in the Republican party, Boris Johnson said that a second Donald Trump administration might be a "huge win for the world" and "just what the world needs." On Friday, the former British prime minister wrote in his weekly column for The Daily Mail, "We all need to grow up and get used to the prospect. If he does the right thing and backs the Ukrainians — and I believe he will — a Trump presidency can be a big win for the world."

As per the New York Times, Trump's unceasing adoration for Russian President Vladimir Putin has provoked fears in Kyiv that the United States may cut off military supplies to the country; similar worries are being expressed in other Western capitals. Johnson, however, is not convinced. Boris went on to say, "Reasonable people can see that Trump is not, actually, a would-be dictator, and they have come to resent what look like legalistic ruses to axe him as a candidate. The more ­frenzied the effort to cancel him, the stronger he becomes. The more bitterly his enemies wage lawfare against him, the more unstoppable he seems to be." According to him, the world needs a leader who is "an enthusiastic exponent of free markets and capitalism," and "whose willingness to use force and sheer unpredictability is a major deterrent to the enemies of the West". Johnson also acknowledged in another section of his piece that the former Republican president had "been caught saying a few unguarded things" and is now facing 91 felonies in four separate criminal trials.

Trump, who is now leading the race for the Republican nomination, received an invitation to visit Kyiv earlier on Friday from Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine. The Ukrainian president responded, "Yes please, Donald Trump—I invite you to Ukraine," in an interview with Channel 4 News. He added, "If you can stop the war during 24 hours I think it will be enough to come to Kyiv, on any day I am here." Former British prime minister Johnson has remained a steadfast supporter of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, even making a visit to the country's capital in January 2023. Johnson was driven out of office in the summer of 2022.

As per Politico, Johnson carried out his lobbying abroad last year, visiting Texas to rally support for Ukraine among dozens of prominent American conservatives, including legislators, business magnates, and fundraisers. Johnson was making an effort to quell Republicans' mounting resentment about US financial backing for Ukraine. Along with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Johnson, as per his column, is among the European leaders who would be happy to see the former president return to the top of the political ladder. Orbán has shown his support for Trump on several occasions; last year, he even wore a red hat that was autographed by the fierce Republican front-runner. With a few exceptions, however, the elites of the European Union have mostly been anticipating Trump's possible run for the presidency again.