Boris Johnson to meet allies, says 'will work tirelessly to bring Russia back from brink'

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be holding talks with world leaders this week in order to bring Russia “back from the brink” of war especially as the Ukraine crisis entered a “critical juncture”. According to Sky News, Number 10 had warned on Sunday evening that Britain’s intelligence “suggests Russia could be planning an invasion of Ukraine at any moment” and warned of “disastrous consequences”.

Furthermore, Downing Street also said that even as the Ukraine crisis reached a “critical juncture”, there is still a “window of opportunity for de-escalation and diplomacy”. Meanwhile, Johnson is expected to continue diplomatic efforts in another trip to Europe this week. According to the report, a Downing Street spokesperson averred that Johnson would “work tirelessly alongside our allies to get Russia to step back from the brink".

But, Number 10 did not confirm which world leaders UK PM is expected to speak with but the media outlet stated, it is understood that Johnson is eager to engage with Nordic and Baltic countries. The Labour party in the UK had said at the weekend that Britain's lawmakers must learn lessons from the “chaos” of the Afghanistan evacuation and help citizens flee from Ukraine.

Separately, US President Joe Biden has been invited to visit Ukraine by his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, who termed POTUS' visit to Kyiv would be “crucial for stabilising the situation” and “will be a powerful signal and contribute to de-escalation”.

During an hour-long call, Zelensky also told Biden that it is important for Kyiv to receive security guarantees from the United States, added the statement. Moments before both the Ukrainian presidential Office and the White House released statements to provide an insight into the Biden-Zelensky call, a knowledgeable source told CNN that the Ukrainian President had appealed to Biden to make a trip to Ukraine “as soon as possible”. However, the US media outlet had also stated citing unnamed US officials that Biden’s visit to Ukraine appeared unlikely considering the current state of affairs.

US would respond ‘decisively’ to Russia

Meanwhile, Biden and Zelensky spoke on the phone for the third time since the beginning of 2022 and in the wake of Russia’s military build-up along Ukraine’s border. During the conversation on Sunday, which lasted a bit under one hour, Biden affirmed Washington’s commitment to Kyiv’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

According to an official release by the White House, Biden made it clear that the US would “respond swiftly and decisively” along with its allies and partners to any military aggression by Russia. Biden and Zelensky agreed on continuing diplomatic efforts and “deterrence” in response to Russia amassing its troops on borders near Ukraine. 

(Image: AP)