Here is the full report on Boris Johnson’s trip to Ukraine today from our diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour.
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Summary
Another busy day today. Here is a summary of all the developments:
- Vladimir Putin accused the US of ignoring Russia’s security proposals in his first public comments on the growing crisis since December.
- Boris Johnson travelled to Kyiv and held talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. UK foreign secretary Liz Truss got Covid and missed the trip.
- Johnson said there was a “clear and present danger” of an imminent Russian campaign.
- He warned Putin that the UK would impose sanctions the “moment the first Russian toecap” entered Ukraine.
- Zelenskiy said Ukrainians would “stand until the very end” in a war, which he warned would engulf Europe.
- US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that the consequences of an invasion would be “swift and severe”.
- Johnson and Putin’s phone call was finally rescheduled to Wednesday afternoon.
- Poland promised to provide Ukraine with arms supplies, including artillery shells, light mortars, and surface-to-air missiles.
- Italy’s defence ministry confirmed the presence of six Russian warships in the Mediterranean Sea but said Moscow was not showing “escalatory behaviour”.
Putin not taking any risks with Covid.
Compared to Johnson:
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Here is our Moscow correspondent’s story on Putin’s comments:
Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of ignoring Russia’s security proposals in his first public comments on the growing crisis over Ukraine since December.
During a press conference at the Kremlin, Putin told journalists he was unsatisfied with the US response to Russian demands that Nato remove troops and infrastructure from eastern Europe and pledge never to accept Ukraine into the alliance.
“It’s already clear … that Russia’s principal concerns were ignored,” Putin said after talks with the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán.
Putin said he was ready to continue negotiations with the west, which has said it is ready for dialogue but views Moscow’s demands as a non-starter.
But Russia has also continued deploying thousands of troops and offensive weapons to the Ukrainian border, appearing to threaten a strike if the Kremlin does not get its way.
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The press conference has ended. Johnson shook the Ukrainian leader’s hand (Covid alert!) and then Zelenskiy made a joke: “We are free.”
Johnson says 'clear and present danger' of imminent Russian campaign
“Someone said were we exaggerating the threat; [that] the US and UK are trying to big this up,” Johnson said. “That’s not the intelligence we are seeing. It’s a clear and present danger”.
The PM added there were Russian preparations for an “imminent military campaign”.
Johnson said Putin was holding “ a gun to Ukraine’s head”. Johnson recalled watching the Berlin wall fall as a “young man”, a historical event he said meant any country was free to choose its security alliances.
“Putin is trying to undermine this, to impose a new Yalta and zone of influence,” Johnson said. He warned the Kremlin’s ambitions would continue. “It wouldn’t just be Ukraine. You have to think about Georgia and Moldova and other countries.”
In his opening remarks Volodymyr Zelenskiy – a former comedian – made a joke, pointing out 1 Februarywas the anniversary of the publication of the Oxford English dictionary. He said he hoped the word for 2022 would be “peace”. Johnson grinned broadly.
Thanking “Volodymyr”, Johnson said it was “absolutely fantastic” to be in Kyiv and see the excitement and buzz of this capital.
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Ukrainians will 'stand until the very end', President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
He says the Ukrainian army has also changed substantially in the past few years.
“This is not going to be a war between Ukraine and Russia; this is going to be a European war, a fully-fledged war,” he says.
Johnson said the single most important thing “we can do” is to communicate to the Russian public that the Ukrainian army will fight. He predicted “bloody resistance” should the Kremlin further invade the country.
“Parents, mothers in Russia should reflect on that fact. I hope President Putin steps back from that conflict and engages in dialogue,” Johnson said.
Johnson adds that the US will also automatically impose sanctions on Russian invasion. He used the word “automaticity”.
UK will impose sanctions 'moment the first Russian toecap' enters Ukraine, says Johnson
Boris Johnson says “we have the sanctions ready”.
He adds a Russian invasion would be a political and military “disaster”.
In Kyiv, Boris Johnson and Volodymyr Zelenskiy have arrived at the podium to give statements.
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In his first substantial public remarks on the crisis this year, Putin raised the possibility of war between Russia and Nato if Ukraine joined the alliance and then attempted to take back Crimea from Russia by force.
“Let’s imagine Ukraine is a Nato member and starts these military operations. Are we supposed to go to war with the Nato bloc? Has anyone given that any thought? Apparently not,” he said.
Putin said ways needed to be found to protect everyone’s security.
'I hope dialogue on Ukraine will continue' – Putin
After a string of combative statements, the Russian leader says he hopes to continue talking with world leaders.
Putin said he will discuss the Ukraine issue with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, when he visits Moscow.
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Putin says US trying to drag Russia into war so it can impose sanctions
Putin appears to be accusing the US of seeking to “drag” Russia into war so it can impose sanctions on Moscow.
The Russian leader says the US wants to contain Russia, and is using Ukraine to do that.
Orbán now says the policy of sanctions is a tool that is “doomed to fail”.
Context: The west has warned it will impose severe and swift sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine.
Here is Putin’s quote:
“It’s already clear now ... that fundamental Russian concerns were ignored,” Putin told a news conference in Moscow.
Viktor Orbán is also speaking.
He said that the EU is united and no one wants a conflict with Russia.
While few EU leaders would want the Hungarian authoritarian speaking for them, that is probably a fair assessment.
Putin says Russia's security proposals were "ignored" by the west
Vladimir Putin is talking following a meeting with the Hungarian leader, Viktor Orbán.
He says Russia’s proposals were “ignored” by the west.
The west did not satisfy Russia’s two main security demands, he adds.
That is a reference to Moscow’s requests that include a ban on Ukraine entering Nato and a limit to the deployment of troops and weapons to Nato’s eastern flank.
Our central and eastern Europe correspondent, Shaun Walker, is also at the palace:
It turns out that the last time a British prime minister was in Ukraine was John Major in 1996.
Back then, just five years after Ukrainian independence, the questions on the agenda were British support for Ukraine and the clean-up of the Chernobyl site.
It’s taken 22 years for another British prime minister to arrive, and Johnson is only staying in town for a few hours.
Just arrived at the Mariinski palace where Boris Johnson is holding talks with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Snow in the ornamental gardens and a district chill in the air. Weeks into this crisis the big question unclear: will #Russia invade? pic.twitter.com/TvbH1y5bWi
— Luke Harding (@lukeharding1968) February 1, 2022
Nicola Sturgeon has called on the prime minister to tackle the corrupting influence of Russian oligarchs in London’s financial industry and the Conservative party, suggesting that his inaction has directly contributed to Vladimir Putin’s sense of impunity over Ukraine.
As Boris Johnson flew to Kyiv on Tuesday – in a show of solidarity and with hopes of distracting from the continuing domestic crisis around Downing Street’s lockdown parties – Sturgeon urged him to “rebuild his government’s tattered reputation” by taking overdue action on Russian funding in the Conservative party and “Londongrad”-style influence operations in the UK.
Writing for the Guardian, Scotland’s first minister said: “We cannot be blind to the circumstances which have led to the current crisis, and that includes the situation where wealth with direct links to the Putin regime has been allowed to proliferate here in the UK with often the scantest of regard paid to its provenance or to the influence it seeks to bring to bear on our society.
“[Johnson] must recognise that both his government and his party have enabled this situation, and he must acknowledge that the most resolute action he can take is at home, to rebuild his government’s tattered reputation.”
Blinken tells Lavrov response to invasion would be "swift and severe"
The US state department has released a readout of the call between the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
Blinken said Washington was willing to continue a “substantive exchange with Russia”.
But he repeated that the US wanted Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine’s borders. If Moscow were to launch an invasion, the consequences would be “swift and severe”, Blinken said, according to the readout.
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A reader has pointed out that a maskless Johnson was very close to a maskless Liz Truss yesterday in parliament. Truss tested positive hours later.
Here’s a photo of them:
Wonder if President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will keep his distance today.
During his brief trip to Kyiv, Boris Johnson is also doing some local sightseeing. He is holding talks shortly with Volodymr Zelenskiy at the president’s official residence, a vividly turquoise baroque palace overlooking the Dnipro River.
The architect of the Mariinski building is Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who also designed the winter palace in St Petersburg, as well as other imperial masterpieces.
After a press conference scheduled for 6.45pm local time (4.45pm GMT), Johnson and Zelenskiy are due to visit St Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv’s oldest standing church.
Dating back to the 11th century, it was built to celebrate Prince Yaroslav’s victory over tribal raiders. The prince’s tomb is on the ground floor. The cathedral’s wedding-cake bell tower – a later baroque addition – is one of the capital’s most famous sights, now dusted with snow.
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Nice shot here of Russian and Ukrainian ice skaters training in Beijing.
Caption contest?
Boris Johnson has arrived in Ukraine.
He is going to have a catch up with the president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and then they will hold a joint press conference later on.
Travelling to Kyiv today to meet President @ZelenskyyUa for talks.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 1, 2022
As a friend and a democratic partner, the UK will continue to uphold Ukraine's sovereignty in the face of those who seek to destroy it. pic.twitter.com/qmKBmNJhhx
Don’t tell Johnson, but the Italian prime minister, Mario Draghi, spoke to Putin today.
“Prime Minister Draghi underlined the importance of working for a de-escalation of tensions in light of the serious consequences that a worsening of the crisis would have,” his office said.
Johnson was hoping for a call on Tuesday.
Emmanuel Macron of France has also spoken to Putin in the past few days – twice, in fact, as a reader points out.
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Italy confirms Russian warships in the Mediterranean Sea
Italy’s defence ministry has confirmed the presence of six Russian warships in the Mediterranean Sea but said Moscow was not showing “escalatory behaviour”.
“The fleet is transiting through international waters and it is not violating the countries’ territorial sovereignty,’’ reads an official note from the ministry. “Nato had been following the path of the naval group since it set out in mid-January from the ports of Severomorsk (North Fleet) and Baltijsk (Baltic Fleet).”
Defence chiefs of staff said “Nato is continuing to monitor the flotilla,’’ adding that neither “Nato forces nor the Russian naval formation have shown escalatory behaviour or intentions”.
The warships entered the Mediterranean Sea on Monday and might be heading towards the Black Sea in the next few days, according to media reports in Italy.
According to the Italian newspaper la Repubblica, the vessels are carrying 60 tanks and over 1,500 soldiers.
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And here is a picture of Putin and Orbán at a very socially-distanced table.
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Our Moscow correspondent, Andrew Roth, reports on the Putin/Orbán meeting today:
Journalists from the Kremlin pool have said that Putin is likely to break his silence on negotiations with the United States and Nato over his demands for what he calls “security guarantees”. Those comments will likely come in a press conference scheduled to follow the bilateral meeting.
In their opening remarks, Putin said he planned to brief Orbán on the negotiations, which have included a Russian proposal for a new bilateral treaty that would roll back Nato and require a confirmation that Ukraine would not join the alliance. The United States and Nato have both sent written responses, which the Kremlin has said did not address Russia’s core concerns.
“I believe it is very important that you and I exchange views on the current security levels,” Putin told Orbán. “As you know, we submitted our proposals to the United States regarding the respective written obligations and I will be pleased to tell you how the process has been developing.”
Putin also said he wanted to discuss joint efforts to combat Covid-19 by expanding production of Russia’s Sputnik vaccine and on energy cooperation.
The two leaders were seated across from each other at a very long table. The curious seating arrangement appears to be the Kremlin’s latest innovation to protect Putin from coronavirus (he has said he was vaccinated and received a booster shot). Most Russian officials must quarantine for two weeks before meeting with Putin.
In remarks delivered in Russian, Orbán told Putin that “it’s true we are going through difficult times but 2021 was the most successful year if we talk about the relations between our countries”.
He called “security” – meaning the potential for conflict – over Ukraine, “the most urgent issue”.
“I would like to assure you that no leader from the European Union would want a war,” he said. “We always call for finding a political solution.”
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A reader has just emailed me to note that the £88m the UK is due to provide to Ukraine to “support stable governance and energy independence” is interesting.
“I think you have forgotten to add that meanwhile, there is neither stable governance nor energy independence in the UK currently,” the reader writes.
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By the way, Putin’s spokesman won’t confirm if the Johnson call has been rescheduled or not. So this drama might continue a little longer.
Johnson and Putin to speak on Wednesday afternoon
On ‘phonegate’: Boris Johnson’s spokesman says the prime minister’s call with Putin has now been rescheduled to Wednesday afternoon. I think the Russian leader has made his point.
Poland to supply Ukraine with shells, mortars, surface-to-air missiles
Poland’s prime minister has promised to provide Ukraine with gas and arms supplies, including tens of thousands of artillery shells and light mortars.
Weapons will also include powerful man-portable air-defence systems, also known as Manpads, which can take down low-flying aircraft such as helicopters.
“Our part of Europe does not experience earthquakes or volcano eruptions. So what, if living close to a neighbour like Russia we have the feeling of living at the foot of a volcano,” said Mateusz Morawiecki (who has clearly done some media training).
Speaking in Kyiv, he said Germany should abandon the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, as it gives Russia leverage over Europe.
“Through launching this pipeline, Berlin is loading Putin’s pistol, which he can then use to blackmail the whole of Europe,” he said.
Here’s an explainer of Nord Stream 2:
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UK, Poland and Ukraine discussing regional security pact - Ukraine PM
Johnson has boarded his flight to Ukraine, as you’ll see from the picture above.
Ukraine’s prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, has said that Britain, Ukraine and Poland – whose PM Mateusz Morawiecki is also in Kyiv – are considering a trilateral pact to strengthen regional security.
“I hope that in the near future we will be able to officially launch a new regional format of cooperation – Ukraine-Poland-UK. In the context of ongoing Russian aggression, we should sign a trilateral document on cooperation to strengthen regional security,” Shmyhal said.
It’s not clear if London and Warsaw have already agreed to this, and if it will be announced today.
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Boris Johnson flies to Ukraine
The British prime minister will fly to Kyiv today as part of a western effort to show support for the former Soviet state as Russia amasses forces on its borders.
Keen to place the UK at the forefront of a diplomatic push, Boris Johnson was due to have stern words with Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, on Monday.
But that call has now become an embarrassment for Johnson. His team attempted to delay the call to today as Johnson was in parliament on Monday fighting for his political life – apologising for a scandal over boozy lockdown parties at 10 Downing Street.
Meanwhile, his foreign secretary, Liz Truss, who announced what she said was robust sanction legislation on Monday to pressure Moscow will not make the Ukraine trip with her boss – Truss tested positive for Covid on Monday.
I tested positive for Covid this evening.
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) January 31, 2022
Thankfully I’ve had my three jabs and will be working from home while I isolate.
Johnson will meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, and is expected to pledge £88m of new funding to “support stable governance and energy independence”.
Here’s more on the schedule for today:
- Putin will meet Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán in Moscow.
- Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov will speak by phone with his US counterpart, Antony Blinken.
- Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, will hold a press conference this afternoon.
- Boris Johnson and Volodymyr Zelensky will hold a joint press conference this evening.
Feel free to send me anything you think is worth putting on the blog to this email: oliver.holmes [at] theguardian.com
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