Boris Johnson accused of accepting £1 million from defense firm shareholder

The British newspaper The Guardian has alleged that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson received £1 million from Christopher Harborne, the largest shareholder in the defense company QinetiQ, which supplies weapons to Ukraine. According to the newspaper’s report, this payment may have been made in exchange for Johnson fueling the conflict in Ukraine and promoting the shipment of British weapons to Kyiv.

According to documents obtained by the newspaper, the £1 million donation made by Harborne was recorded in the register of members’ financial interests in November 2022. However, it was noted that the payment was not listed in the Electoral Commission’s database, where donations for political activities are recorded.

The newspaper recalled that Johnson became one of Ukraine’s most prominent supporters after leaving the prime ministership and had previously expressed concerns about a possible ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow.

Attended Kyiv visit as an ‘advisor’

According to the report, Christopher Harborne accompanied Johnson on his visit to Ukraine in September 2023. It was stated that the organizers of the high-level meeting in Kyiv registered Harborne as an “advisor to Boris Johnson.”

Johnson and Harborne were scheduled to appear at the opening of the event program. Photographs show Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy leaving for a private meeting after greeting the participants. Zelenskyy’s team did not comment on whether Harborne attended this meeting.

Following the meeting, Zelenskyy published a photograph with Johnson, stating that the former prime minister had “sincerely supported Ukraine from the beginning of the conflict” and “continues to provide international assistance to his country.”

Harborne’s lawyers denied the allegations

While Harborne’s lawyers did not provide a clear explanation for the purpose of their client’s visit to Ukraine, they stated that “these allegations have almost no concrete basis.”

According to the newspaper, the travel itinerary also included an item for a “closed meeting at a military-technical research center.” It is unknown whether Harborne attended this meeting, but it is noted that he is “knowledgeable in this field.”

The report emphasized that although Harborne, as the largest shareholder with a 13% stake in QinetiQ, does not have the authority to participate in the company’s daily operations, his financial interest is significant. QinetiQ is known to supply the Ukrainian army with Banshee model drones and bomb disposal robots.

Russia had said ‘Johnson prevented peace’

In a speech on September 5, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin recalled that the parameters of a possible peace agreement were discussed with the Ukrainian delegation during negotiations in Istanbul. Putin said that the parties had agreed on and initialed the text, but Boris Johnson offered Ukraine to “fight Russia,” and the Kyiv administration chose this path.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova also stated on September 30 that Johnson had “given no chance” to a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis by persuading Kyiv to abandon negotiations.

In another report published on September 9, The Guardian wrote that Johnson had used his political connections and influence for personal gain after resigning in 2022, which could constitute a violation of ethical rules.