Boris Johnson secretly visited Venezuela and discussed situation in Ukraine
Photo: former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Getty Images)
Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson secretly visited Caracas and discussed Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, reports The Sunday Times.
According to sources, Johnson arrived in Caracas on a private plane from the Dominican Republic, where he was vacationing with his family. Overall, he spent less than a day in the Venezuelan capital.
During his time there, Johnson discussed the situation in Ukraine with Maduro against the backdrop of concerns from Western diplomatic and intelligence circles that the oil-rich socialist republic could supply weapons or other military assistance to Russia.
Furthermore, conditions for improving relations with the United Kingdom, which does not recognize Maduro's legitimacy, were deliberated upon.
In particular, these were the conditions related to:
- Conducting free and fair presidential elections this year.
- De-escalating tensions in relations with Guyana, a former British colony with significant oil and mineral resources in the Essequibo region.
Such negotiations were considered "extraordinary" due to the state of bilateral relations and the general uncertainty in the West's relationship with Venezuela. Venezuela, in turn, is the world's largest oil producer and a steadfast supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, as mentioned in the report.
Recently, we reported that President Joe Biden has signed a bill providing funding for parts of the US federal government through the end of the fiscal year. It entails allocating funding throughout the entire fiscal year until September 30 for various government departments and agencies.
The White House expressed gratitude to leaders Schumer and McConnell, Senators Murray and Collins, Speaker Mike Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Representatives Granger and DeLauro for their leadership.
On March 22, the US Congress plans to pass the second package out of six remaining appropriations bills covering the entire year. This package will include funding for the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Health, and Human Services, as well as other social services.
