The British government believes it is “highly likely” Vladimir Putin will attempt to take Kiev, Liz Truss has said.
The foreign secretary said she thought the Russian president was “hell bent” on invading Ukraine and that she fears he will not stop there.
She also said this year’s Champions League final should not be held in Russia, adding: “I’m very clear it shouldn’t be.”
Asked if she believed Putin was moving on the capital Kiev, she told Sky News: “We think it’s highly likely that that is in this plans.
“This is one of the reasons that we have advised British citizens to get out whilst commercial flights are still available because the situation is extremely concerning.”
Both the UK and US have slapped Russia with sanctions after Putin ordered troops into two rebel-held regions of Ukraine, having recognised them as independent.
Boris Johnson announced yesterday that he was hitting five Russian banks and three “high net wealth” individuals with punitive measures.
But Truss had to defend the measures this morning, following criticism that they do not go far enough.
“What it will achieve is inflicting pain on Vladimir Putin and his regime, and the Russian economy,” she said.
“We will escalate the sanctions, that there will be even more tough sanctions on key oligarchs.”
- Liz Truss
“It is a very serious package. It targets key oligarchs, we’re clear that sovereign debt will not be able to be raised by the Russian government.
“It targets key Russian banks that fund the military and fund the activities of the Russian government.”
She vowed to “escalate” the sanctions and bring in even more tough measures if Putin launches a full scale invasion. Truss said currently we had seen “all the precursors” to a full invasion.
Asked what would constitute a “full invasion”, she said it meant troops crossing the border. When it was suggested to her this has already happened, Truss said: “That is frankly ambiguous at this stage.”