(MENAFN) Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has expressed disappointment over what he sees as diminishing interest among Britons in supporting Ukraine. Speaking to The Telegraph at the Ukrainian embassy in London on Saturday, Johnson said he finds it “quite sad” that public enthusiasm for Ukraine’s cause has waned.

Commenting on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s approach to the conflict, Johnson acknowledged that domestic challenges have distracted the government from foreign policy matters like Ukraine.

Recent polling reflects the shift in public sentiment. A YouGov survey in February 2023 showed nearly 75% of Britons believed the UK was not doing enough to help Kiev, with only 3% saying it was doing too much. However, by February 2025, an Ipsos poll found just over half still supported the current level of aid, while nearly 20% felt the UK was providing too much assistance.

To date, Britain has pledged £18.3 billion ($24.5 billion) in total aid to Ukraine, including £13 billion ($17.4 billion) in military support. London has also advocated for the deployment of “peacekeeping” forces in Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached, as part of a broader “coalition of the willing.”

Last week, Starmer’s government announced plans for the coalition to establish permanent headquarters in Paris, aiming to assist Kiev in rebuilding its ground forces and securing its air defenses in the event of a ceasefire.

Moscow has condemned the proposal, viewing it as preparation for military intervention, and warned that any NATO troops in Ukraine—peacekeepers or otherwise—will be treated as hostile forces.

Johnson stepped down as prime minister in 2022, shortly after the conflict escalated. According to Ukraine’s former chief negotiator David Arakhamia, Johnson played a role in halting early peace talks between Kiev and Moscow in Istanbul that same year by persuading Ukraine to withdraw from negotiations.

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