Newscast · BBC News

The Boris Johnson and Sir Tony Radakin Interview

·28 min·2 clips

Boris Johnson admits Putin lied and says the West's ambiguity emboldened Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

1. BBC Newscast presents a special interview recorded around the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. 2. Host Laura speaks with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who was Chief of the Defence Staff at the time of the invasion. 3. The interview's core purpose is to revisit the decisions taken in February 2022, assess the conduct of the war over four years, and explore potential paths to resolution. 4. Johnson describes receiving a call at around 4am from National Security Advisor Stephen Lovegrove when the invasion began, and says he 'uttered some sort of expletives and then went downstairs and got on with it.' 5. Radakin says intelligence services, including Chief of Defence Intelligence Jim Hockenhull, had been warning for months that the invasion would happen, and receiving confirmation felt 'almost like a relief.' 6. Johnson recalls that some European partners, including elements of the German and French delegations at the Munich Security Conference, were still uncertain the invasion would happen and harboured a 'weird sense' that a rapid Ukrainian defeat might be preferable on humanitarian grounds. 7. Both speakers agree that failing to respond to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea was a 'tragic' mistake that emboldened Putin, and that further signals — including the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 — reinforced Putin's sense that Western resolve was weak. 8. Johnson says his first call after the invasion began was to Zelensky, who refused an offer to relocate and said: 'Absolutely not, we're staying. Just get us the weapons that we need.' 9. Radakin identifies the battle over Hostomal airport, just north of Kyiv, as the critical early turning point: Ukraine's successful defence prevented Russia from landing troops to capture Kyiv and left the famous tank convoy stranded. 10. Johnson argues the West has followed a pattern of withholding requested weapons systems for months before eventually supplying them, describing this as 'continually giving the Ukrainians too late, just enough to stop them from losing, but not enough to help them bring the war to a successful conclusion.' 11. He applies the same critique to the current debate over long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, which could destroy the Russian factories making the Shahid drones being used to attack Ukrainian infrastructure. 12. Radakin presents the military balance sheet: Russia peaked at approximately 27% of Ukrainian territory in March 2022, has been pushed back to 19-20%, and gained less than 1% of territory in the entirety of 2025, while sustaining 1.3 million killed or injured. 13. Johnson argues that to end the war, the West needs to 'flip a switch in Putin's brain' by demonstrating Ukraine is a permanent strategic objective — through impounding the shadow fleet, increasing financial support, and sending European ground forces to Ukraine in a non-warfighting capacity. 14. When asked about the proposed European boots-on-the-ground idea, Johnson says there is no logical reason not to send peaceful forces now given that Western leaders would be willing to do so after a ceasefire. 15. Radakin stresses that President Zelensky has already agreed to an unconditional ceasefire and has shown flexibility on issues like Donetsk and economic zones, while Putin has shown no corresponding willingness. 16. Johnson says he has told Donald Trump directly that there is a 'delusion in the United States if they think that Putin wants peace,' and that asking Ukraine to make further concessions will not end the conflict. 17. On Ukrainian leadership, Johnson praises Zelensky as 'incredible,' and Radakin notes the combination of maintaining the economy, fighting the war, and sustaining Western support is 'exhausting and takes an emotional toll.' 18. The interview is conducted as a sit-down conversation, with Laura challenging both speakers with pointed questions about Western naivety, Zelensky's political viability, and whether the UK government has been clear enough about defence funding. 19. Policy-minded listeners, Ukraine-watchers, and anyone interested in firsthand accounts from a former prime minister and former military chief of the Ukraine war's first days will find it substantive. 20. Those seeking balance between pro-Ukrainian and pro-negotiation perspectives will find the episode strongly weighted toward a hawkish, pro-armament viewpoint.

As heard by us

A hard, useful argument about Ukraine, caution, and what resolve really means.

Newscast's Boris Johnson and Sir Tony Radakin revisit the West's response to Ukraine, moving from the shock of Russia's invasion to the slower work of keeping support in place.

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Why you'd press play

You want a straight-shooting debrief on Britain’s Ukraine choices.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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