When Boris Johnson boarded the night train to Ukraine, he was accompanied by his usual team of aides and security personnel—alongside the man who had given him £1 million.
Less than a year earlier, Johnson had accepted what is believed to be the largest donation ever made to a single MP. It came from Christopher Harborne, one of the UK’s most significant and discreet political donors. Harborne, whose wealth helped fund the Brexit campaign, made the payment to a private company Johnson established after stepping down as prime minister.
Recently leaked documents reveal that in September 2023, Johnson—a vocal supporter of Ukraine both in and out of office—was joined by his benefactor on a two-day trip that included meetings with senior officials. What the files don’t clarify is why. Neither the former prime minister nor his donor has offered an explanation.
Organizers of the high-level Kyiv meeting they attended listed Harborne as an “adviser, Office of Boris Johnson.”
Harborne has diverse interests: he describes himself as a “digital nomad,” with investments spanning cryptocurrency, a wellness center, jet fuel, and stakes in at least three military contractors. His only known link to Ukraine is as the largest shareholder in a British arms manufacturer that reportedly supplies robots and drones to the Ukrainian military.
The leaked Boris Files have exposed how the former prime minister has pursued financial gain since leaving office—including meeting with a Venezuelan autocrat and courting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been accused of ordering a journalist’s murder.
In contrast, one political consultant notes that the Ukrainian cause is “sacred” to Johnson, providing him with a lasting sense of moral authority after he was ousted from Downing Street amid scandal. The leaked files, however, raise concerns about whether even here he has blurred the lines between public service and personal profit.
When questioned by the Guardian about his relationship with Harborne, Johnson issued an extraordinary statement: “Your pathetic non-stories… seem mostly to be derived from some illegal Russian hack job. You should be ashamed of yourselves.” The transparency group that obtained the files, Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoS), said it did not know their origin.
Johnson added, “Why don’t you just change your name to Pravda? Your stories are rubbish and you are doing Putin’s work.”
During his time in Downing Street, Johnson rallied Western support as Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Since resigning, he has continued to visit, vowing to sustain international backing, and remains so popular that he receives cheers in the streets.
According to the leaked itinerary, after arriving in Kyiv on the night of September 8, 2023, Johnson had just enough time for a quick hotel shower before attending the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum. The event brought together Ukrainian ministers, intelligence chiefs, military leaders, foreign diplomats, politicians, and business executives.
The schedule noted that only “Boris and Chris [Harborne]” were to attend the opening session. Photos show both Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Johnson addressing the audience, and the itinerary suggests they later held a private meeting. Zelenskyy’s office did not respond when asked whether Harborne was present.For non-sensitive information, you can email tom.burgis@theguardian.com.
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Later, Zelenskyy shared a photo with Johnson, writing, “From the very start of the full-scale war, Boris Johnson has genuinely supported Ukraine and aided in defending against Russian aggression. He continues to bolster international support for Ukraine. Thank you for your energy, friend!”
Johnson’s schedule included further meetings that day with Zelenskyy’s foreign minister, who couldn’t recall if Harborne was present, and with the oligarch leading the forum.
The following day, Johnson traveled west to Lviv to pay respects at war graves, visit the injured, and receive an honorary degree. Video footage shows Harborne nearby as Johnson greeted troops, and a photo captures a meeting with Lviv’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyy, where Harborne observed while Johnson spoke.
[Boris Johnson (centre) meeting Lviv’s mayor (1st to his left) in September 2023 with Christopher Harborne (2nd to his right). Photograph: City of Lviv]
The £1m donation
In a recent court filing against the Wall Street Journal, Harborne describes himself as an “intensely private person.” Although he has lived in Thailand for over 20 years, holds a Thai passport, and sometimes uses a Thai name, he has invested significantly in British politics.
He has donated £10m to Nigel Farage’s Brexit party—now Reform UK—and £1m to the Conservatives while Johnson was finalizing the UK’s exit from the EU. Johnson appears to have cultivated this beneficial relationship during his time in office.
Harborne visited Chequers at least twice while Johnson was prime minister, once arriving by helicopter and another time for a Tory megadonor barbecue in August 2022.
Shortly after, Johnson’s term ended, but his connection with Harborne continued, leading to the £1m personal donation. Financial advice Johnson received after leaving Downing Street raises questions about this transaction.
[Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “Thank you for your energy, friend!” Photograph: Volodymyr Zelenskyy/Telegram]
While still an MP, Johnson established a private company, The Office of Boris Johnson Ltd. The financial advice indicates he anticipated a “pHe was advised to think about whether the money to fund the company’s early years would count as a political donation, or if it would be easier for the company to send an invoice to the donor’s company for services provided.
The next month, in November 2022, Johnson’s entry in the register of MPs’ interests shows a £1 million donation to his company from Harborne. This payment is not listed in the Electoral Commission’s database of donations made to support an MP’s political work, which suggests it may have been intended to help Johnson’s business ventures.
That same month, Johnson and Harborne had dinner together twice in Singapore. In January 2023, Johnson’s schedule included a 30-minute call with his backer, labeled “Ukraine readout.” Later, in September, after Johnson had left Parliament, leaked documents show the two flew on a private jet—apparently operated by Harborne—from Stansted airport to eastern Poland, where they boarded a sleeper train to Kyiv.
Harborne’s lawyers stated that the donation was meant to help Johnson remain active in mainstream UK politics and was appropriately reported as a donation. They added that Harborne had no expectation of personal gain and that any suggestion otherwise was false and unsupported by evidence.
When asked about the purpose of the Ukraine trip, Harborne’s lawyers did not provide detailed answers, saying the questions seemed baseless. However, leaked files offer some clues. The itinerary included a “closed meeting at the military-tech R&D centre,” an area familiar to Harborne. As the largest shareholder in QinetiQ, with a 13% stake, he has a significant financial interest in the company, though he is not involved in its daily operations. QinetiQ has some involvement in Ukraine, supplying drones and bomb-disposal robots, and in April 2025, the UK Ministry of Defence announced the company would help Ukraine’s military produce equipment using 3D printers.
Johnson mentioned the trip in a letter dated October 23, 2023, where he wrote in support of Harborne, describing him as a friend and backer who accompanied him to Ukraine and is strongly opposed to Putin’s regime. Johnson stated he knew of no evidence linking Harborne to the Russian government or any Russian commercial interests. There is no indication why such connections would be suspected, and none have been found. Harborne’s lawyers confirmed the letter was a character reference written in response to attacks on his reputation, but did not specify the recipient, only addressing it to “Dear Sirs.” They added that Harborne is grateful to Johnson for his support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about why Boris Johnson brought his donor to Ukraine designed with clear natural questions and direct answers
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Who is the donor that Boris Johnson brought to Ukraine
The donor is Lord David Wolfson a wealthy British lawyer and a member of the House of Lords He has donated significant funds to the Conservative Party and previously served as a minister under Johnson
2 When did this happen
Boris Johnson visited Ukraine in August 2022 a few months after he had resigned as Prime Minister
3 Why would a former Prime Minister bring a donor on a trip like this
The stated reason was to discuss Ukraines reconstruction efforts Bringing a businessman and legal expert like Lord Wolfson could help identify future investment and partnership opportunities for British companies
4 Is it normal for politicians to bring donors on official trips
It is not standard practice especially for a former Prime Minister on a sensitive diplomatic visit It often raises questions about the relationship between political donations and access to highlevel meetings
5 What was the public reaction to this
The reaction was mixed Some saw it as a pragmatic move to involve private sector expertise in rebuilding Ukraine Others criticized it as inappropriate suggesting it gave a major donor privileged access to a war zone for potential future business
Advanced Detailed Questions
6 What specific expertise does Lord Wolfson bring to the table
Lord Wolfson is a successful commercial lawyer and the CEO of the retail company Next plc His expertise lies in largescale business operations supply chains and corporate law which are all relevant to a massive postwar reconstruction project
7 Were there any ethical concerns raised about this trip
Yes critics raised several ethical concerns
Access and Influence It created a perception that a major donor was given a unique opportunity to build relationships with Ukrainian leaders potentially positioning his company for lucrative contracts
Blurred Lines It blurred the line between a humanitariandiplomatic mission and a commercial scouting trip
Use of Position It raised questions about whether Johnson was using his status and contacts as a former PM for the benefit of a political ally
8 Did the Ukrainian government have a problem with this
Publicly the Ukrainian government welcomed the visit and all support They are actively seeking international partners for reconstruction and likely valued the
