Johnson phones to Zelensky before resigning British PM post

LONDON. Sept 5 (Interfax) - The outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before leaving the post, the British prime minister's office said in a statement on Monday.

"The Prime Minister spoke to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. (...) The Prime Minister [...] added that the UK remained steadfast in its support [of Ukraine]," the statement said.

For his part, "President Zelensky thanked the Prime Minister for believing in Ukraine and its people."

A series of scandals involving the prime minister prompted him to announce on July 8 his agreement to resign, but not before the Conservatives elected a new leader.

Earlier on Monday, Liz Truss was elected as the leader of the Conservative Party. On Tuesday, September 6, Truss and Johnson will travel to the Scottish residence of English monarchs - the Balmoral Castle - to meet Queen Elizabeth II. There, Johnson will formally resign, and the Queen will appoint Truss as the new prime minister of the United Kingdom. Thus, Truss will become the 15th prime minister appointed by Elizabeth II.