Boris Johnson to visit Ukraine region and urge Putin to ‘step back’
Boris Johnson is due to speak to Vladimir Putin
this week over the Ukraine crisis
(Picture: AP/Getty Images)
Boris Johnson will hold a call with Vladimir Putin this week and plans to visit Eastern Europe to ‘accelerate diplomatic efforts’ as tensions intensify over the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
The Prime Minister wants to ‘ramp up deterrence to avoid bloodshed’ and will urge the Kremlin to ‘step back’ when he speaks to the Russian President this week.
He will travel to the region in the coming days, it is understood.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: ‘The Prime Minister is determined to accelerate diplomatic efforts and ramp up deterrence to avoid bloodshed in Europe.
‘He will reiterate the need for Russia to step back and engage diplomatically when he speaks to President Putin this week.’
The PM asked defence and security chiefs to consider further defensive military options in Europe at a high-level intelligence briefing earlier this week.
He will spend the weekend considering what action can be taken to reduce Russian aggression – including fresh deployments and strengthening Nato’s defences.
The Foreign Office is also poised to announce tougher sanctions on Monday in an attempt to target Russia’s strategic and financial interests.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and her Russian counterpart are said to have ‘agreed a date’ to meet in Moscow within the next fortnight.
Ms Truss has been forthright in speaking out against the threat of Russia invading Ukraine.
She declassified intelligence suggesting Mr Putin was plotting to install a pro-Moscow leader as head of the government in Kyiv.
The Kremlin has ‘no justification whatsoever’ for its aggression towards its neighbour, she told the Commons earlier this month.
Around 100,000 Russian troops have assembled at the border with Ukraine and intense diplomatic activity has failed to ease tensions.
Chris Philp, a minister in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said there is ‘deep concern’ about the ‘unprecedented’ build-up of Russian troops on the border.
“I think it is a very serious situation,” he told Sky News.
Mr Johnson, US President Joe Biden and European leaders agreed on the importance of international unity in the face of Russian hostility in phone talks earlier this week.
Mr Biden told Ukraine president Volodymr Zelenskyy there is a ‘distinct possibility’ Russia could take military action against Kyiv in February.
Washington has warned it will stop the opening of a key gas pipeline, Nord Stream 2, between Russia and western Europe if Mr Putin refuses to pull back his troops.
Mr Johnson said a Russian invasion would be a ‘disaster for the world’ as he declared the UK ‘stands squarely behind the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine.’
Metro
Boris Johnson will hold a call with Vladimir Putin this week and plans to visit Eastern Europe to ‘accelerate diplomatic efforts’ as tensions intensify over the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
The Prime Minister wants to ‘ramp up deterrence to avoid bloodshed’ and will urge the Kremlin to ‘step back’ when he speaks to the Russian President this week.
He will travel to the region in the coming days, it is understood.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: ‘The Prime Minister is determined to accelerate diplomatic efforts and ramp up deterrence to avoid bloodshed in Europe.
‘He will reiterate the need for Russia to step back and engage diplomatically when he speaks to President Putin this week.’
The PM asked defence and security chiefs to consider further defensive military options in Europe at a high-level intelligence briefing earlier this week.
He will spend the weekend considering what action can be taken to reduce Russian aggression – including fresh deployments and strengthening Nato’s defences.
The Foreign Office is also poised to announce tougher sanctions on Monday in an attempt to target Russia’s strategic and financial interests.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and her Russian counterpart are said to have ‘agreed a date’ to meet in Moscow within the next fortnight.
Ms Truss has been forthright in speaking out against the threat of Russia invading Ukraine.
She declassified intelligence suggesting Mr Putin was plotting to install a pro-Moscow leader as head of the government in Kyiv.
The Kremlin has ‘no justification whatsoever’ for its aggression towards its neighbour, she told the Commons earlier this month.
Around 100,000 Russian troops have assembled at the border with Ukraine and intense diplomatic activity has failed to ease tensions.
Chris Philp, a minister in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said there is ‘deep concern’ about the ‘unprecedented’ build-up of Russian troops on the border.
“I think it is a very serious situation,” he told Sky News.
Mr Johnson, US President Joe Biden and European leaders agreed on the importance of international unity in the face of Russian hostility in phone talks earlier this week.
Mr Biden told Ukraine president Volodymr Zelenskyy there is a ‘distinct possibility’ Russia could take military action against Kyiv in February.
Washington has warned it will stop the opening of a key gas pipeline, Nord Stream 2, between Russia and western Europe if Mr Putin refuses to pull back his troops.
Mr Johnson said a Russian invasion would be a ‘disaster for the world’ as he declared the UK ‘stands squarely behind the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine.’
Metro
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