British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has outlined the retaliation Russia should expect if it launched an attack on Ukraine and stated the UK “will not flinch now”.
In a comment piece in The Times, Mr Johnson insisted there was still reason for hope despite “the biggest military build-up in Europe since the Cold War".
But he said Russian President Vladimir Putin could expect a three-pronged response from the UK “the moment the first toecap of the first Russian soldier crosses further into Ukraine’s sovereign territory".
Mr Johnson said the US and Europe would impose heavier economic sanctions on Russia than ever before and these would be ready to be implemented at the first sign of an incursion.
"The government will ask Parliament for new powers to sanction a wider range of Russian individuals and entities, including any company linked to the Russian state or operating in a sector of strategic importance to the Kremlin," he said.
Mr Johnson warned the Kremlin that “Nato allies are agreed that we are willing to send more forces to guarantee the security of our allies on the eastern flank", including Latvia and Estonia.
He said the UK was preparing to reinforce the British-led Nato battle group in Estonia and was looking to increase its contribution to the Joint Expeditionary Force, a British-led formation comprising units from 10 Scandinavian and northern European countries.
Mr Johnson said the government was considering sending Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters and Royal Navy warships to protect south-eastern Europe, with HMS Prince of Wales already the command ship of Nato’s Maritime High Readiness Force.
The final problem Mr Putin will face should he launch an invasion, said Mr Johnson, was the West would be doing all it could to enable Ukraine to defend itself, noting the UK’s Operation Orbital had already trained 22,000 Ukrainian troops and sent 2,000 anti-tank missiles.
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week, Mr Johnson pledged another £88 million ($119.1m) of UK aid to strengthen Ukraine’s energy independence.
He questioned the Kremlin’s reasons for boosting troop numbers along the Ukraine border.
“I struggle to understand how threatening Ukraine advances President Putin’s declared goals of keeping Nato forces away from Russia, dissuading any more countries from joining the alliance, and stopping its members from co-operating with Kiev,” Mr Johnson said.
“Nor could there be a more compelling argument for the necessity of Nato than the sight of Russian tanks invading a European country once again.
"I still believe that principled and determined diplomacy can defuse this crisis. Our fundamental belief, enshrined in the United Nations Charter and countless other binding agreements signed by Russia, is that every nation has a right to choose its sovereign destiny.
“We cannot reward — and therefore encourage — coercive diplomacy, so Russian de-escalation is the condition for successful dialogue."
Mr Johnson said he had spoken twice to Mr Putin since December and on both occasions he stressed the price Russia would pay for another assault on Ukraine, and how disastrously counter-productive it would be.
He stressed Britain’s respect for Russia and his belief that any of its concerns could be allayed by open and honest dialogue.
Mr Johnson concluded by emphasising the need for “patient diplomacy” while the UK further strengthened the unity of the West.
“Ukraine should overlook a peaceful and sovereign nation, able to choose its own destiny and seek its own alliances like any other independent state," he said.
Meanwhile French President Emmanuel Macron is due to arrive in Kiev on Tuesday after offering Russia "concrete security guarantees" in an effort to dissuade Moscow from invading its neighbour. Mr Putin vowed to find compromise in response.
At a meeting in the Russian capital Mr Putin told his French counterpart the Kremlin would "do everything to find compromises that suit everyone", raising the prospect of a path to de-escalating the volatile situation.
He said several proposals put forward by Mr Macron at talks on Monday could form a basis for moving forward on the crisis over Ukraine.
"A number of his ideas, proposals... are possible as a basis for further steps," Mr Putin said after more than five hours of discussion in the Kremlin.
He did not provide any details but said the two leaders would speak by phone after Mr Macron meets with Mr Zelenskiy.
The French president said he had made proposals of "concrete security guarantees" to Mr Putin.
"President Putin assured me of his readiness to engage in this sense and his desire to maintain stability and the territorial integrity of Ukraine," Mr Macron said.
"There is no security for the Europeans if there is no security for Russia."
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Norway v Spain, Saturday, 10.45pm, UAE
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The five pillars of Islam
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
AIR
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
