Boris Johnson has warned that a war in Ukraine could be the “biggest in Europe since 1945”, amid western fears that increased shelling in the Donbas region could be part of a “false-flag operation” preparing the pretext for Vladimir Putin to invade.
The prime minister told the BBC that he wanted people to “understand the sheer cost in human life” that an invasion of Ukraine would bring, hours after telling the Munich security conference that the world was at “the eleventh hour” to avert a conflict.
His comments came as Mr Putin oversaw strategic nuclear exercises involving launches of ballistic missiles, in an apparent “show of strength”.
While Joe Biden has said he is “convinced” Russian forces will invade “within days”, the US president said he does not believe the Kremlin is considering the use of nuclear force.
Western leaders in Munich said they wanted to continue dialogue with Russia, and – after separate phone calls with the Russian and Ukrainian presidents on Sunday – the office of France’s Emmanuel Macron said both had agreed to work toward a diplomatic solution “in coming days and coming weeks”.
