Abandoning the 1991 borders and protecting Russian speakers: Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested how to end the war in Ukraine

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggests abandoning the demand for Ukraine to return to its 1991 borders. He also proposes granting rights to the Russian-speaking population as “compensation to Putin.”

Johnson expressed these views in an article for the Daily Mail, commenting on his negotiations with U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Johnson writes that Trump understands that a defeat for Ukraine would be a significant loss for the U.S. Meanwhile, Putin would become a threat to all former USSR countries. There would also be simultaneous threats to Taiwan from China and to Israel from Hezbollah, forcing the U.S. to choose between relinquishing global leadership or going to war.

Johnson believes that Trump can end the war on terms favorable to Ukraine and the West. He envisions these terms as Ukraine reverting to its borders as of February 24, 2022 (effectively relinquishing the demand for the 1991 borders) and Ukraine’s potential membership in the EU and NATO.

To achieve this, Johnson proposes increasing military aid to Ukraine, expediting deliveries, and lifting current restrictions on strikes on Russian territory using Western weapons.

In the future, Johnson suggests that a well-armed Ukrainian army could replace the U.S. contingent in Europe, allowing Trump to save money, bring American soldiers home, and compel Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defense.

As compensation to Putin, Johnson proposes implementing “special protection measures for Russian speakers” in Ukraine and a global restoration of U.S.-Russia relations, potentially returning to a time when Russia was a “respectable partner” of the G8 and NATO.

“I am not saying it will be easy. It will require strength. It will require determination. It will require nerves of steel,” Johnson concludes.