Ukraine conflict: UK to impose sanctions on Russia’s President Putinon February 25, 2022 at 6:35 pm

The UK will introduce sanctions against Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov “imminently”, Boris Johnson has said.

While the prime minister gave no details about the move, he said “the world must make certain President Putin would fail in this act of aggression”.

The UK announcement comes as the EU is also considering imposing measures against Mr Putin and Mr Lavrov.

Russia launched an invasion of its neighbour Ukraine on Thursday morning.

Its forces have now advanced towards the capital Kyiv.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has provoked international condemnation from countries in the West and retaliatory sanctions.

On Friday Russian tanks entered Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, for the first time.

Speaking to members of the Nato military alliance, Mr Johnson said a “catastrophe was engulfing Ukraine” and Mr Putin was engaging in a mission to “over-turn the post-Cold War order”.

The prime minister warned allies that the Russian president’s ambitions might not stop at Ukraine and that this was a Euro-Atlantic crisis with global consequences.

Mr Johnson said the UK stood ready for any request from Nato to go further with military support, adding there could be no normalisation of relations with Russia after this act.

He added that it was “vital” the alliance was strengthened now.

The prime minister also urged leaders to take “immediate action” on removing Russia from the Swift international banking system to “inflict maximum pain on President Putin and his regime” – a measure some allies have so far resisted.

The UK government did not say what measures would be imposed against Mr Putin and Mr Lavrov.

On Thursday, Britain announced measures to target Russian banks, businesses and oligarchs.

Earlier, the Belarussian ambassador to the UK, Maxim Yermalovich, was summoned to the Foreign Office over its role in the invasion.

Minister for Europe and North America James Cleverly made clear that Belarus had “aided and abetted” Russia’s “reckless aggression”, the Foreign Office said.

The UK has already said that sanctions will be applied to Belarus, a long-term ally of Russia.

Also on Friday Mr Johnson spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, pledging more support in coming days.

Mr Zelensky said Ukraine “needs the support of partners more than ever” and called for stronger sanctions.

Nato – the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation – is a military alliance originally formed in 1949 by 12 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK and France.

Members agree to come to one another’s aid in the event of an armed attack against any member state. Ukraine is not in Nato but wants to join the alliance.

Russia had sought assurances that this would never be allowed to happen.