Losing Popularity In UK, Ukrainians Hold Petition Granting Citizenship To Boris Johnson And Prime Minister

President Zelensky receiving a visit from Boris Johnson in Kyiv. (Source: President.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - A petition to grant British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Ukrainian citizenship and make him prime minister was posted on Ukraine's official petition website on Tuesday and has garnered more than 2.500 signatures in support.

Despite losing domestic popularity to being forced to announce his resignation after dozens of ministers resigned in early July, Johnson remains a cult figure in Kyiv.

He achieved that because of his vocal support for Ukraine, when the country resisted the Russian invasion which began on February 24. Paintings, murals and even cakes in the Ukrainian capital resemble the man some Ukrainians call 'Johnsoniuk'.

The petition, addressed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, lists Johnson's strengths as "worldwide support for Boris Johnson, a clear position against the military invasion of Ukraine, (and) political, financial and legal wisdom."

The petition, however, acknowledges one downside of such an appointment: its non-compliance with the Ukrainian constitution.

Coincidentally, hours after the petition was posted on Tuesday, Johnson presented Zelenskiy with the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award for what his Downing Street office described as "outrageous courage, defiance and dignity" in the face of the Russian invasion.

President Zelensky did not mention the new petition upon receiving the award, but he would be required to respond formally if it received 25.000 signatures.

Accepting the award via video link from Kyiv, President Zelensky quoted British Prime Minister Churchill in wartime as saying that Johnson "didn't think about stopping fighting" when things got tough.