Johnson warns threat of imminent invasion of Ukraine is ‘extremely concerning’

Boris Johnson has warned an invasion of Ukraine could take place within 48 hours as he urged Vladimir Putin to step back from the “edge of a precipice”.

The Prime Minister said “serious preparations” were being made for a Russian invasion, with around 130,000 troops massed on the borders of Ukraine.

In a message to European allies, Mr Johnson said the world needed to demonstrate the political and economic cost an invasion would have on Russia, including by ending reliance on its gas.

On a visit to Rosyth shipyard in Scotland, he said: “This is a very, very dangerous, difficult situation, we are on the edge of a precipice but there is still time for President Putin to step back.”

He called for more dialogue and urged Russia to avoid a “disastrous” invasion.

Reports based on US intelligence assessments have suggested an invasion could be launched as soon as Wednesday.

The Prime Minister said: “The signs, as you’ve heard from (US) President (Joe) Biden that they’re at least planning for something that could take place as early as in the next 48 hours.

“That is extremely concerning.”

The Prime Minister said “the world needs to learn the lesson of 2014” when not enough was done to move away from Russian gas and oil following the Russian action in eastern Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea.

“What I think all European countries need to do now is get Nord Stream out of the bloodstream,” he said.

“Yank out that hypodermic drip feed of Russian hydrocarbons that is keeping so many European economies going.

“We need to find alternative sources of energy and we need to get ready to impose some very, very severe economic consequences on Russia.”

The Nord Stream pipeline and Nord Stream 2 – which is yet to begin operations – supply gas directly from Russia to Germany.

The pipelines are a source of tension among Western allies drawing up sanctions against Russia, with Mr Biden insisting Nord Stream 2 would not go ahead if Mr Putin invaded Ukraine although Germany has so far been reluctant to spell out what measures it would take.

Mr Johnson will receive a security briefing from the UK’s intelligence chiefs later on Monday and has cut short a planned visit to northern England to chair a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on Tuesday.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was chairing a Cobra meeting on Monday to discuss the consular response after Britons were urged to leave Ukraine.

Armed forces minister James Heappey said Britons in the country should not wait for tensions to escalate further before fleeing.

“This is a warning because minutes after Putin gives the order, missiles and bombs could be landing on Ukrainian cities, and that means British citizens should leave now whilst they have the opportunities to do so,” he told Sky News.

Meanwhile Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK backtracked on a suggestion the country could consider dropping its ambition to join Nato to avoid war.

Vadym Prystaiko told BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday night that the country, which he said was being threatened and blackmailed, would consider “serious concessions” including removing the goal of joining the Nato alliance from the Ukrainian constitution.

But on Monday he told BBC Breakfast: “We are not a member of Nato right now and to avoid war we are ready for many concessions and that is what we are doing in our conversations with Russia.

“But it has nothing to do with Nato, which is enshrined in the constitution.”

Moscow had suggested that Ukraine abandoning its Nato ambitions would address one of its main concerns.

Despite concerns about the potential futility of diplomacy – expressed by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in his suggestion there was a “whiff of Munich in the air from some in the West” – Ukraine and Nato allies continued to seek a resolution through talks.

Mr Johnson said he expected to speak to Mr Biden “very soon”, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was in Ukraine before heading to Moscow for talks with Mr Putin.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Parliament – which is not sitting this week – should be recalled if Russia invades Ukraine.

He also called for tougher sanctions in response to the “Russian aggression”.

“I will say this: Russia wants to see our allies divided, it wants to see division in the United Kingdom, and we are not going to divide and, therefore, we support the Government in what it’s doing.

“We support our allies and the sovereignty of Ukraine but, yes, those sanctions should go further.”