Summary
It was a busy day of diplomacy, threats and warnings. Here is a summary of all the developments:
- The UK has warned Moscow that an invasion of Ukraine would be met with “massive consequences for Russia’s interests and economy”.
- Foreign secretary Liz Truss said the UK government will also bring in new sanctions legislation so “those in and around the Kremlin will have nowhere to hide”.
- Truss added that the government was “considering options for further deployments of our armed forces”.
- The Kremlin slammed proposed UK sanctions as an “outright attack on business” and has threatened to retaliate.
- Italian media have reported six Russian warships entered the Mediterranean Sea on Monday and might be heading towards the Black Sea.
- Ukraine said 130,000 Russian military personnel are close to its borders.
- Boris Johnson’s ‘partygate’ crisis may have meant he missed an opportunity for a high-stakes call with Vladimir Putin on Ukraine.
- Russia, with its ally China, failed to block a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine from going ahead.
- Russia has launched the ‘largest mobilisation of troops in Europe in decades,’ according to the US.
- Washington warned of “decisive, swift and united” action if Russia invades.
- Russia accused the west of ‘hysterics’ over troop deployments near Ukraine.
We will be closing the blog down shortly. When we do, be sure to follow our US Politics live blog. Washington is considering sanctions, with some calls to implement them even before an invasion.
Updated
Boris Johnson call with Putin delayed, possibly cancelled, due to ‘partygate’
Overwhelmed by a scandal over boozy lockdown parties at 10 Downing Street, Boris Johnson was unable to make a high-stakes scheduled call with Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Monday.
As the UK Prime Minister batted away calls to resign in parliament, his spokesman said the call may now slip to Tuesday. It was not clear if Moscow has agreed to the late-minute rejig.
Earlier on Monday, Johnson said he had tough words prepared for the call on Ukraine. “What I will say to President Putin is, as I’ve said before, that I think we really all need to step back from the brink and I think Russia needs to step back from the brink,” he said.
But the call may now need to start with an apology from Johnson, if it happens at all.
Earlier, the Mirror newspaper reported the talk had been cancelled as the Russians could not shift the timing.
Senior civil servant Sue Gray long-awaited report was published on Monday. It had several criticisms for Downing Street, including the “excessive consumption of alcohol” and “failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office at different times”.
Johnson, whose political career is at stake, apologised in parliament on Monday: “I want to say sorry.”
