The Ukrainian government is facing backlash after their official Twitter account shared a meme backing Boris Johnson’s return as Prime Minister.
The meme, which featured a picture of Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk clutching a mask of Johnson’s face alongside a graphic which read ‘Better Call Boris’, was tweeted late last night.
But following a wave of criticism, the post was deleted shortly afterwards.
Following news of Liz Truss’s resignation as PM after just 44 days, Johnson is reportedly weighing up a second bid for the Conservative leadership just six weeks after he stood down amidst widespread scandals.
Although all of the candidates lined up to replace Truss are likely to support Ukraine in its war against Russia, Johnson himself is considered to be somewhat of a hero amongst the Ukrainian people due to his strong support for the country during the first six months of the conflict.
In April, Johnson became one of the first world leaders to visit Kyiv, and according to journalist Sofiya Cheliak his presence was initially seen as a ray of hope.
‘He received the greatest support when he came to Kyiv immediately after the de-occupation of the Kyiv region,’ Ms Cheliak told Al Jazeera.
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‘Against the background of other world leaders, he looked like a superhero who came to witness our heroism. Of course, the gesture may seem very simple abroad, but for most Ukrainians, it added hope for victory and became incredible moral support.’
Following his resignation Mr Johnson was decorated with Ukraine’s Order of Liberty, the highest accolade bestowed upon a foreign national, during his final trip abroad as PM in August.
He was later referred to as a ‘great friend’ by President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said: ‘We all heard this news with sadness. Not only me, but also the entire Ukrainian society.’
Johnson’s popularity amongst Ukrainians has even trickled down to a grassroots level, and the former PM has since become the subject of numerous memes and viral tributes.
In April, a clip of Johnson saying ‘Good Day Everybody’ was remixed into a popular dance track which became a viral hit in Ukraine, and a painting of him dressed as a cossack by celebrated Ukrainian artists Daria Dobriakova and Yurii Kutilov has become an iconic piece of wartime artwork.
In July, a poll from Lord Ashcroft revealed that 90% of Ukrainians had a positive view of Johnson, placing him second only to President Zelensky himself.
With this in mind it’s easy to see why the Ukrainian government – who have utilised ‘meme diplomacy’ to great effect throughout the conflict- might have wanted to show some support for their steadfast ally.
But instead it looks like their attempt backfired spectacularly, leading to a swift deletion.
‘So I was surprised by the tweet, but look, in the circumstances that they face, my absolute focus is on giving Ukraine all the support we possibly can.’
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