Boris Johnson to visit Ukraine tomorrow as he warns Putin 'step back from brink'

Boris Johnson will travel to Ukraine on Tuesday as he steps up a diplomatic push to resolve the growing crisis.

The Prime Minister is expected to urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to "step back from the brink" when the pair speak later today.

Mr Johnson will hold crisis talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky when he travels to the region tomorrow, accompanied by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

The embattled PM will fly out to Ukraine amid turmoil at home - with Sue Gray's long-awaited partygate report due to be published today.

Boris Johnson will hold crisis talks with the Ukrainian President Zelensky on Tuesday (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Speaking in Tilbury, Essex, Mr Johnson said: "What I will say to President Putin, as I have said before, is that I think we really all need to step back from the brink. I think Russia needs to step back from the brink.

"I think that an invasion of Ukraine, any incursion into Ukraine beyond the territory that Russia has already taken in 2014 would be an absolute disaster for the world, and above all it would be a disaster for Russia."

A Russian invasion would be "bitterly and bloodily resisted" by the Ukrainian people, he added.

Boris Johnson has urged Russia to step back from the brink over Ukraine (REUTERS)

Speaking after talks in Budapest with his Hungarian counterpart Tibor Benko, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace urged the sides to de-escalate the crisis, suggesting war would lead to greater instability, higher fuel prices and migrant flows.

Emergency talks are taking place at the United Nations Security Council in New York as the spectre of war grows closer.

Territorial defence forces in Kyiv, Ukraine are put through their paces in military training exercises (Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke warned the Kremlin sanctions could be beefed-up if Moscow invades.

He said: "We are very clear that if Russia takes further action against the Ukraine, then we will further tighten the sanctions regime targeting those businesses and people with the closest links to the Kremlin.”

The British investments of oligarchs and businesses with links to the Kremlin could be targeted if an invasion goes ahead, it was reported.

Ms Truss is expected to announce tougher sanctions later today in a statement to Parliament.

The UK is also expected to bolster its military presence in eastern Europe as part of Nato's efforts to secure the region.

But British and Nato combat forces are not expected to be deployed in Ukraine - which is not a member of the alliance.

Around 100 British personnel are involved in a training mission in the country.