Boris Johnson says diplomacy can still defuse Russia-Ukraine crisis

UK prime minister spells out three retaliations Russia would face should it invade Ukraine

Two Ukrainian servicemen walk with a dog along a trench at the frontline positions near Zolote, Ukraine, on Monday. AP Photo / Evgeniy Maloletka

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has outlined the retaliation Russia should expect if it launched an attack on Ukraine and stated the UK “will not flinch now”.

In a comment piece in The Times, Mr Johnson insisted there was still reason for hope despite “the biggest military build-up in Europe since the Cold War".

But he said Russian President Vladimir Putin could expect a three-pronged response from the UK “the moment the first toecap of the first Russian soldier crosses further into Ukraine’s sovereign territory".

Mr Johnson said the US and Europe would impose heavier economic sanctions on Russia than ever before and these would be ready to be implemented at the first sign of an incursion.

"The government will ask Parliament for new powers to sanction a wider range of Russian individuals and entities, including any company linked to the Russian state or operating in a sector of strategic importance to the Kremlin," he said.

Mr Johnson warned the Kremlin that “Nato allies are agreed that we are willing to send more forces to guarantee the security of our allies on the eastern flank", including Latvia and Estonia.

He said the UK was preparing to reinforce the British-led Nato battle group in Estonia and was looking to increase its contribution to the Joint Expeditionary Force, a British-led formation comprising units from 10 Scandinavian and northern European countries.

Mr Johnson said the government was considering sending Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters and Royal Navy warships to protect south-eastern Europe, with HMS Prince of Wales already the command ship of Nato’s Maritime High Readiness Force.

The final problem Mr Putin will face should he launch an invasion, said Mr Johnson, was the West would be doing all it could to enable Ukraine to defend itself, noting the UK’s Operation Orbital had already trained 22,000 Ukrainian troops and sent 2,000 anti-tank missiles.

During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week, Mr Johnson pledged another £88 million ($119.1m) of UK aid to strengthen Ukraine’s energy independence.

He questioned the Kremlin’s reasons for boosting troop numbers along the Ukraine border.

“I struggle to understand how threatening Ukraine advances President Putin’s declared goals of keeping Nato forces away from Russia, dissuading any more countries from joining the alliance, and stopping its members from co-operating with Kiev,” Mr Johnson said.

“Nor could there be a more compelling argument for the necessity of Nato than the sight of Russian tanks invading a European country once again.

"I still believe that principled and determined diplomacy can defuse this crisis. Our fundamental belief, enshrined in the United Nations Charter and countless other binding agreements signed by Russia, is that every nation has a right to choose its sovereign destiny.

“We cannot reward — and therefore encourage — coercive diplomacy, so Russian de-escalation is the condition for successful dialogue."

Mr Johnson said he had spoken twice to Mr Putin since December and on both occasions he stressed the price Russia would pay for another assault on Ukraine, and how disastrously counter-productive it would be.

He stressed Britain’s respect for Russia and his belief that any of its concerns could be allayed by open and honest dialogue.

Mr Johnson concluded by emphasising the need for “patient diplomacy” while the UK further strengthened the unity of the West.

“Ukraine should overlook a peaceful and sovereign nation, able to choose its own destiny and seek its own alliances like any other independent state," he said.

Meanwhile French President Emmanuel Macron is due to arrive in Kiev on Tuesday after offering Russia "concrete security guarantees" in an effort to dissuade Moscow from invading its neighbour. Mr Putin vowed to find compromise in response.

At a meeting in the Russian capital Mr Putin told his French counterpart the Kremlin would "do everything to find compromises that suit everyone", raising the prospect of a path to de-escalating the volatile situation.

He said several proposals put forward by Mr Macron at talks on Monday could form a basis for moving forward on the crisis over Ukraine.

"A number of his ideas, proposals... are possible as a basis for further steps," Mr Putin said after more than five hours of discussion in the Kremlin.

He did not provide any details but said the two leaders would speak by phone after Mr Macron meets with Mr Zelenskiy.

The French president said he had made proposals of "concrete security guarantees" to Mr Putin.

"President Putin assured me of his readiness to engage in this sense and his desire to maintain stability and the territorial integrity of Ukraine," Mr Macron said.

"There is no security for the Europeans if there is no security for Russia."