Boris heads to NATO HQ vowing to draw ‘line in the snow’ over Ukraine threats

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Boris Johnson today warned Europe faces the ‘most dangerous moment for decades’ and the ‘stakes are very high’ as he urged Russia to back away from a ‘disastrous’ Ukraine invasion.

At a joint press conference with Nato general secretary Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels, the PM said he did not believe Vladimir Putin had made a final decision on whether to send troops over the border.

But Mr Johnson admitted the signs were not good, insisting that Mr Putin will face a strong response if he does go ahead.

Arguing that the next few days will be crucial, Mr Johnson – who will visit Poland later – said: ‘The stakes are very high. And this is a very dangerous moment… 

‘I honestly don’t think a decision has yet been taken but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible that something absolutely disastrous could happen very soon indeed.

‘Our intelligence, I’m afraid to say, remains grim. We’re seeing the massing of huge numbers of tactical battalion groups on the border with Ukraine.

‘This is probably the most dangerous moment in the course of the next few days in what is the biggest security crisis Europe has faced for decades.’

He added: ‘This is the moment now to think of another way forward.’ 

Mr Stoltenberg said he has written to Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to offer more talks.

‘We are prepared to listen to Russia’s concerns and ready to discuss ways to uphold and strengthen the fundamental principles of European security that we all have signed up to,’ he said.

‘Nato will not compromise on core principles – the right of each nation to choose its own path and Nato’s ability to protect and defend all allies.’

The comments came as Liz Truss urged Russia to ‘stop the Cold War rhetoric’ and step back from a ‘disastrous’ invasion during crunch talks in Moscow. 

The Foreign Secretary told Mr Lavrov that Kiev must not be ‘bullied’ and there would be ‘massive consequences’.

After another 1,000 British troops were put on standby to fly to the troubled region, Ms Truss told Mr Lavrov: ‘The reality is we cannot ignore the build-up of over 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border and the attempts to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.

‘Fundamentally, a war in Ukraine would be disastrous for the Russian and Ukrainian people, and for European security. And, together, Nato has made it clear that any incursion into Ukraine would have massive consequences and carry severe costs.’

At a press conference with Mr Lavrov after their talks, Ms Truss said the ‘future peace and stability’ of Europe was at stake.

‘There is still time for Russia to end its aggression towards Ukraine and pursue the path of diplomacy,’ she said.

‘But Nato is very clear that if that path is not chosen there will be severe consequences for Russia, Ukraine and the whole of Europe.’  

Labour leader Keir Starmer is also in the Belgian capital, stressing that he is fully behind the government’s response to Mr Putin‘s military mobilisation. 

The diplomatic blitz comes as a poll for MailOnline found strong backing for sanctions if Mr Putin invades. Some 49 per cent said they would support a national boycott of Russian goods and services, with just 14 per cent opposed.

However, the public appears split over the idea of deploying troops and supplying weapons.     

Western leaders fear a build-up of 130,000 Russian troops on the Ukrainian border is the prelude to an invasion.

Six Russian landing ships filled with tanks and troops yesterday assembled in the Black Sea to back up the land forces, heightening concerns.

Moscow’s forces are also beginning joint military exercises with ally Belarus.  

Another 1,000 British troops will be ‘put at readiness’ for deployment to the region in the event that Russia invades. 

A source said the troops would ‘support a humanitarian response in the region, should it be needed’.

It is understood they would be asked to help secure the borders of Ukraine’s neighbours and build refugee camps in countries such as Poland and Lithuania with fears more than a million Ukrainians could flee any conflict.

The shuttle diplomacy comes amid fears French president Emmanuel Macron is pushing for a ‘compromise’ with Moscow that would see Ukraine forced to loosen its ties with the West.  

Russia is planning to hold a nuclear strategic exercise, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Thursday, despite extreme tensions surrounding Ukraine.

Wallace warned that the Kremlin’s actions were heading in the wrong direction despite efforts to find a diplomatic solution, declaring intelligence suggested that Russia that Russia was engaging in plans for so-called ‘false flag’ operations as a pre-text for invading Ukraine, as well as carrying out cyber attacks and other destabilising activity.

‘Despite the talking, the direction of travel is in the wrong way,’ Wallace told BBC Radio. 

‘The Russians are still growing their battalion tactical groups… They are planning to start a nuclear strategic exercise soon, and indeed we see more activity elsewhere.’

A Russian defence source also told news agency TASS earlier this year that the nuclear exercise, known as ‘Thunder’, would involve all three prongs of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces, testing firing procedures from land, sea and air.

Nuclear drills are held frequently in Russia, but the decision to proceed with such exercises in the face of the tension circling Ukraine will give world powers more cause for concern.

It comes as forces from Russia and Belarus launched joint military drills with an estimated 30,000 troops taking part in the 10-day war games near the Ukrainian border, in what NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has described as a ‘dangerous moment’.

‘We are closely monitoring Russia’s deployment in Belarus, which is the biggest since the end of the Cold War,’ Stoltenberg told reporters today at a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

‘This is a dangerous moment for European security. The number of Russian forces is going up. The warning time for a possible attack is going down.’