Boris Johnson was in Poland today where he met with Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
And it was at a press conference with his Polish counterpart that Johnson was confronted by Daria Kaleniuk, whose impassioned plea has gone viral on Twitter today.
The executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre civil society organisation said she is from Kyiv but entered Poland a couple of days ago and this is what she had to tell Johnson.
Just had a chance to ask a question to @BorisJohnson https://t.co/4ee6eXJj6g
— Daria Kaleniuk (@dkaleniuk) March 1, 2022
Here is the full clip, including Johnson’s response.
‘You’re coming to Poland, you’re not coming to Kyiv… because you’re afraid’
A Ukrainian reporter breaks down as she begs @BorisJohnson for a no-fly-zone over Ukraine – the PM rejects her plea as it would see the UK ‘shooting down Russian planes’ https://t.co/qsADEeLz3g pic.twitter.com/yAWP5Ip69T
— ITV News Politics (@ITVNewsPolitics) March 1, 2022
Here is some of what she had to say.
‘Ukrainian women and Ukrainian children are in deep fear because of bombs and missiles which are going from the sky.
‘Ukrainian people are desperately asking for the rights to protect our sky, we are asking for a no-fly zone. What’s the alternative for the no-fly zone?
‘Nato is not willing to defend because Nato is afraid of World War Three but it’s already started and it’s Ukrainian children who are there taking the hit.’
And here is part of Johnson’s response.
‘I’m acutely conscious that there is not enough that we can do, as the UK government, to help in the way that you want and I’ve got to be honest about that.
‘When you talk about the no-fly zone, as I said to Volodymyr Zelensky a couple of times, unfortunately the implication of that is the UK would be engaged in shooting down Russian planes, it would be engaged in direct combat with Russia.
That’s not something that we can do or that we’ve envisaged. The consequences of that would be truly very, very difficult to control.’
And here are just a few of the many things people were saying about it today.
Incredibly powerful moment at Boris Johnson’s press conference in Poland pic.twitter.com/QHgWfjjrHv
— Sebastian Payne (@SebastianEPayne) March 1, 2022
Just heartbreaking #Ukraine https://t.co/Z06g2fGLYx
— Jon Sopel (@jonsopel) March 1, 2022
Extremely powerful moment as Ukrainian journalist asks Boris Johnson what more he will do to help her people. https://t.co/dEEtDmYy8l
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) March 1, 2022
When rhetoric meets reality. Well done @dkaleniukpic.twitter.com/ozV8TjV3aK
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) March 1, 2022
This Ukrainian journalist is understandably traumatised by the criminal invasion of her homeland.
Boris Johnson is nonetheless completely correct to rule out a nuclear apocalypse, which is what war with Russia means.
Can we not pressure him into changing course, please. https://t.co/iNoTaLQMMX
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) March 1, 2022
Even if you conclude a no-fly zone is impossibly irresponsible, as I do, this woman has an irrefutable argument about oligarchs living lives of luxury in the West using money they should never have been allowed to make in the first place. https://t.co/hkP005rfJJ
— Tom McTague (@TomMcTague) March 1, 2022
Source Twitter @dkaleniuk
The post This Ukranian journalist confronting Boris Johnson is a heart-rending and emotional watch appeared first on The Poke.
Source: ThePoke