Dominic Raab warned Good Morning Britain viewers that we 'need to brace ourselves for worse' in regards to Russia's attack on Ukraine.
The Deputy Prime Minister appeared on Tuesday's show to speak to hosts Susanna Reid and Adil Ray about the current conflict.
At one point, Susanna asked Mr Raab: "Are you ruling out direct military action against Russia while the conflict remains within Ukraine?"
Mr Raab replied: "I've been a law crimes lawyer before I became a politician, and I've seen a lot of appalling footage, but it never is diluted in my mind, in my heart and what we're seeing is very harrowing indeed.
"I think we need to brace ourselves for worse. We set out our position that we're not going to engage directly in militarily with Russia, that would feed the Russian narrative.
"Ukraine is not a NATO member and therefore the NATO alliance procedures don't apply in the same way, but we will do everything short of that and we have already supplied the anti-tank missiles," he continued.
"And what I can also say to you is Liz Truss is going to be working, she's talking to the UN today about the mechanisms to preserve evidence of any potential war crimes.
"And the international criminal court prosecutor has said that he is looking very carefully at the situation in Ukraine and we will, the UK will support the practical means for holding people to account for committing any war crimes," Mr Raab added.
Elsewhere in the interview, Adil grilled Mr Raab about the fact the UK are 'being restrictive' in regards to refugees who need to flee Ukraine.
Adil asked him hypothetically: "If your mother was in Ukraine right now, would you not want your mother to be back here with you?"
"Well you're doing the usual thing which we always get on GMB which is not allowing me to answer the question," Mr Raab replied sarcastically.
Adil quickly fired back: "Because we get the usual thing from you when you don't answer the question the first time round!"
Mr Raab argued: "But I'm trying to but if you interrupt me within seconds then I don't get an opportunity, nor do your viewers to hear the answer and judge for yourselves. Am I allowed to proceed?"
Adil simply said: "Yes," as Mr Raab continued: "So the principles that the Home Secretary has set out are that dependents, and we're talking about up to 100,000, the precise criteria, the processes, she's going to be setting out in the days ahead, so all of those answers will be provided.
"And I get why you're asking the question, I just can't answer every factual case and I can't also speculate on the individual cases but up to 100,000 so the point is, the UK will step up, we have a big hearted tradition in this country and we will do our bit."
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV and ITV Hub.
