Europe is facing its biggest security crisis for decades as fears grow that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is imminent, according to Boris Johnson.
The prime minister said “something absolutely disastrous could happen very soon indeed” as he urged Vladimir Putin to think again.
Johnson was speaking alongside Nato general secretary Jen Stoltenberg in Brussels as diplomatic efforts to avoid conflict intensified.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has also flown to Moscow for talks with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in an effort prevent war.
Asked at a press conference whether he believed the Kremlin had already decided to invade its neighbour, the PM said: “I don’t think a decision has yet been taken, but that doesn’t mean that something absolutely disastrous could happen very soon indeed.
“Our intelligence remains grim and we’re seeing the massing of huge numbers of tactical battalion groups on the borders of Ukraine - 70 or more.
“This is probably the most dangerous moment I would say in the course of the next few days in what is the biggest security crisis that Europe has faced for decades, and we’ve got to get it right.
“I think that the combination of sanctions and military resolve plus diplomacy is what is in order.”
Meanwhile, speaking in Moscow, Truss said: “Minister Lavrov has said to me today that Russia have no plans to invade Ukraine. But we need to see those words followed up by actions.
“We need to see the troops and the equipment that is stationed on the Ukrainian border moved elsewhere. Because at present it is in a very threatening posture.”