Boris Johnson from Thessaloniki: More pressure is needed on Putin

He pointed out that the fall of Ukraine would have disastrous consequences for the West, as it could encourage other authoritarian leaders. “If we are weak now, we will pay for it later,” he emphasized.

He also described as “painful” the fact that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and that India is supplied with Russian oil.

Johnson: “Admiration for Greece - Brexit was a matter of national sovereignty”
Mr. Johnson expressed his close relationship with Greece and pointed out the role of Athenian democracy in shaping Western values, calling for trust in them. He defended his choice to support Brexit. Asked whether Brexit is something he proposes to other countries, such as Greece, he replied: “That is up to the Greeks. There are certainly geostrategic parameters that they should take into account. It is a different case. I never wanted the dissolution of the EU. I just thought it was wrong for us. Democracy is important, being able to make your own decisions. When the EU makes a decision, a national authority must follow it, and that was a problem for us,” said Mr. Johnson, clarifying that he does not necessarily propose it to other countries such as Greece, as each case is different.

He also stressed the importance of democracy and the ability of a state to make independent decisions, something that, in his opinion, is limited by the EU.

Finally, he denied that Donald Trump belongs to the category of authoritarian leaders or that he will try to remain in power after the end of his term, while he also expressed optimism about the course of the Greek economy, recognizing the important steps forward.