Johnson insists visa checks are necessary for Ukrainians fleeing war

Boris Johnson resisted calls from Kyiv and within his own party to drop visa requirements for Ukrainians fleeing the violence, insisting the security checks were vital to prevent Vladimir Putin sending agents to the UK.

The Prime Minister said a thousand visas had been granted under the scheme allowing relatives of people in Britain to flee the war zone to join their families and he promised another programme allowing individuals to offer a home to Ukrainians would be set out in “the next few days”.

Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace promised extra military equipment for the Ukrainian forces, with fresh supplies of anti-tank missiles and the possibility of anti-aircraft systems.

The Government has come under pressure to do more to take in refugees fleeing Ukraine as Vladimir Putin’s forces continue to bombard towns and cities.

The European Union has allowed visa-free travel, but Mr Johnson insisted that the UK was right to require the paperwork to be completed.

“We’ve already got 1,000 people in under the existing scheme, that number will climb very sharply,” Mr Johnson said. “No-one has been turned away.”

But he added: “We know how unscrupulous Putin can be in his methods, it would not be right to expose this country to unnecessary security risk and we will not do it.

“We are going to be as generous as we can possibly be, but we must have checks.”

Mr Johnson’s appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions followed a call from Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK to temporarily drop the visa requirement.

Vadym Prystaiko hit out at the bureaucracy of the British system, telling MPs: “I don’t want to see these pictures of people banging at the doors in Calais and scratching the doors which are quite sealed.”

The Prime Minister was challenged by former Tory chief whip Julian Smith to adopt “a more humane approach” to Ukrainians fleeing violence.

Mr Johnson said the new sponsorship route – announced by Home Secretary Priti Patel last week – would mean “everybody in this country can offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine”.

Communities Secretary Michael Gove is expected to set out details of the scheme on Friday.

Downing Street said the UK has given 957 Ukrainians visas as they flee the Russian invasion.

Cabinet minister Grant Shapps suggested that one reason the UK was not adopting a visa-free policy was to encourage Ukrainians to stay closer to their homeland.

“President (Volodymyr) Zelensky and the Ukrainian government have told me that they do not want people to move far away, if at all possible, from the country, because they want people to be able to come back,” the Transport Secretary told Sky News.

“We are really leaning into this, at the same time respecting Ukraine’s wishes, the Government’s wishes, not to pull people a long way away from Ukraine.”

The violence being unleashed on Ukraine’s cities has driven more than two million people out of the country.

In the Commons, Mr Wallace said the change in Russian tactics meant there was a need to examine how to help Ukrainian forces tackle Mr Putin’s air force.

“We can all see the horrific devastation inflicted on civilian areas by Russian artillery and air strikes, indiscriminate and murderous,” he said.

“It is vital, therefore, that Ukraine maintains its ability to fly and to suppress Russian air attack.”

Mr Wallace said that “in response to a Ukrainian request” the Government was exploring the donation of Starstreak high-velocity man-portable anti-air missiles.

He also confirmed that 3,615 Nlaw anti-tank missiles had been supplied – up from the previously-announced figure of 2,000 – and “small consignments” of the Javelin system would also be sent to Ukraine.

Along with the military support, the UK announced further steps to economically isolate Russia by phasing out imports of oil in an attempt to starve Putin’s regime of funds.

In a co-ordinated move, President Joe Biden said the US was stopping oil supply from Russia, while the European Union also announced a phasing out of dependence on Moscow’s energy.

Ministers acknowledged the ban on Russian oil imports by the end of the year could add to the already-rising cost of living.

Mr Johnson said: “I have no doubt that though there will be dark days ahead and difficult times, we will come through it stronger.

“I’ve no doubt Vladimir Putin will fail and we will succeed in restoring a sovereign and independent Ukraine.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “The Ukrainian people are fighting for democracy, we must stand with them. That means taking the toughest possible measures against Putin.”

He said: “Let’s be honest, there’ll be costs here at home”, but added that these could be offset by a windfall tax on oil and gas giants benefiting from high global prices.