Boris Johnson secretly visited sanctioned country – Sunday Times  — RT World News

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson secretly flew to Venezuela last month for informal talks with the South American country's leader Nicolas Maduro, the Sunday Times reported.

The meeting came amid supposed concerns from Ukraine's Western backers that Venezuela might supply weapons to Russia. Unnamed sources told the newspaper that the former prime minister spent less than 24 hours in South America, after traveling on a private plane from a vacation home in the neighboring Dominican Republic.

The two politicians also reportedly discussed normalizing relations between London and Caracas, holding free and fair presidential elections in Venezuela this year, and the South American country's dispute with Guyana, a former British colony, over a 62,000-square-mile oil region. Mineral-rich area around the Essequibo River.

Johnson's visit was later confirmed to Sky News by his spokesman, who said it was intended “We stress the need for Venezuela to adopt an appropriate democratic process.” The trip was made with “Active support” This was added by British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, as well as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

“he [Johnson] He has repeatedly made clear that there is no hope for normalization of relations until Venezuela fully embraces democracy and respects the territorial integrity of its neighbors. The official spokesman stated. “[He also] Presenting the issue of Ukrainian victory to the government of Venezuela.

Sources also told The Sunday Times that the former prime minister may have used the meeting with Maduro to promote the agenda of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. The report indicated that a few days after his trip to Venezuela, Johnson visited Kiev, where he met with the Ukrainian president.

Venezuela has been targeted by severe sanctions imposed by the UK, US and other Western allies to isolate the oil-rich Bolivarian republic from global trade and the financial system. Maduro was a staunch supporter of Moscow, and accused the West of fueling the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Johnson is known as a strong supporter of Ukraine. Despite his resignation in 2022, the politician has visited Kiev several times since Moscow launched its military operation in the neighboring country.

In November, David Arakhamia, Ukraine's chief negotiator during peace talks with Russia in Istanbul in the spring of 2022, claimed that Johnson had traveled to Kiev and persuaded Vladimir Zelensky's government to withdraw from the discussions. Johnson himself has denied these allegations.

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