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A summary of today's developments
- Boris Johnson told ministers it is “a dark day in the history of our continent” following the invasion of Ukraine during a Cabinet meeting which followed a Cobra meeting. Johnson said Vladimir Putin has launched “a cynical and brutal invasion for his own vainglorious ends”, a No 10 spokesman said.
- Eleven Labour MPs who signed an open letter from the Stop The War Coalition that criticised Nato have now withdrawn their names. The PA news agency understands they were threatened with the removal of the whip if their names were not taken off the letter.
- Boris Johnson has signalled that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, could face war crimes charges over the invasion of Ukraine. He told MPs “anyone who sends a Russian into battle to kill innocent Ukrainians” could be brought to court. The prime minister added the UK is working with allies to set up a “particular international war crimes tribunal for those involved in war crimes in the Ukraine theatre”.
- Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader and a former energy secretary, has criticised the government for not including the energy companies Gazprom and Rosneft in the sanctions list.
- The Foreign Office released a statement with more detail of the sanctions package unveiled by the PM. It says the government will: Freeze the assets of all Russian banks including, today, a full asset freeze on VTB, Russia’s largest bank. Co-ordinated with the US this is by far the single biggest financial sanction in history. Individuals and companies whose assets are frozen will be unable to undertake any business in the UK or with UK nationals. Prevent Russian companies from borrowing on the UK markets, effectively ending the ability of those companies closest to Putin to raise finance in the UK. This is in addition to banning the Russian state itself from raising funds in the UK, as previously announced.
