Ukraine crisis: Hopes for a diplomatic end as Boris Johnson chairs Cobra committee
Prime Minister and US President say there is a 'crucial window for diplomacy'
The Prime Minister will chair a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee today in an effort to bring the crisis in Ukraine to a diplomatic end and avert a war in the region.
Boris Johnson held talks with US President Joe Biden on Monday where they agreed a “crucial window for diplomacy” remained open, while Russian President Vladimir Putin and his foreign policy chief Sergei Lavrov have also agreed to continue down the path of negotiations.
A Downing Street source said there was “some hope” that diplomacy could work and Russia could step back.
Russia’s defence ministry said some of its troops in the regions bordering Ukraine were returning to base following the completion of military exercises.
But Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stressed the threat of an invasion remained as she confirmed some British embassy staff had moved out of the capital Kyiv to Lviv in western Ukraine, further away from the troops massing on the Russian side of the border.
The US has closed its Kyiv embassy and moved remaining staff to its mission in Lviv, but Ms Truss said the UK would retain a presence in the capital.
Reports from Russia indicated that units of the southern and western military districts were returning to base following the conclusion of training exercises.
The Government was keen to stress the diplomatic process is continuing.
“There is some hope on there still being a window for diplomacy to work and Russia stepping back,” a Downing Street source said.
Boris Johnson cuts visit short to chair Cobra
The Prime Minister cut short a planned overnight stay in Cumbria on Monday, instead returning to Downing Street to chair Tuesday’s Cobra meeting.
He received a briefing on Monday from the UK’s intelligence chiefs, who presented the latest information on the Russian military build-up.
The UK and Western allies have warned that any Russian incursion into Ukraine would be met with an unprecedented package of sanctions.
That could include shutting down the Nord Stream 2 pipeline intended to carry gas from Russia to Germany, although Mr Scholz has been reluctant to explicitly commit to that despite Mr Biden’s insistence it could not go ahead if troops invaded Ukraine.