Johnson reminds Putin of importance of Ukrainian sovereignty

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has underscored the importance of Ukraine's sovereignty in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the UK government's press service has reported.

According to the report, Johnson was clear that the UK's current relationship with Russia is not the one the UK wants. He said significant bilateral difficulties remain, including the poisonings in Salisbury in 2018.

"The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of Ukrainian sovereignty," the statement said.

Johnson said that the United Kingdom and Russia have a responsibility to work together to tackle shared challenges like climate change and safeguard international agreements like the Iran Nuclear Deal.

The leaders also discussed the current situation in Afghanistan. Johnson stressed the importance of any recognition of the Taliban being conditional on their behavior, including respect for human rights.

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