Despite for much of last week seeking to downplay Washington's rhetoric of an "imminent" Russian invasion, given the panic it unleashed among the Ukrainian population, President Volodymyr Zelensky is now seeking to greatly expand his army, also a moment Kiev is using the opportunity to gain more US weaponry and money.

On Tuesday Zelensky signed a decree to increase the total size of the armed forces by 100,000 troops, and ordered a pay increase across the ranks over the next three years. Ironically he still sought to calm fears of a Russian military invasion, saying the decision is "not because we will soon have a war... but so that soon and in the future there will be peace in Ukraine."

While Russia's armed forces are commonly estimated at just under one million, Ukraine's military is made up of about 250,000.

According to BBC, "Mr Zelensky told Ukraine's parliament, the Rada, that he had signed a decree to increase the size of the Ukrainian army by 100,000 active soldiers, with the formation of 20 new brigades over three years while phasing out compulsory military service. Ukraine's professional army is vastly outnumbered by Russia's."

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Kiev on Tuesday, ironically or perhaps "conveniently" at a moment he's embroiled in political scandal and calls for his resignation amid 'partygate'. 

Johnson is said to be in Ukraine's capital to vow a new pledge of £88m ($118m) to "promote stable governance and energy independence from Russia." Earlier this month the UK was first out of the gate with frequent military flights delivering arms to Ukraine, believed to be mainly anti-tank and anti-armor missiles and systems.