London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

Mixed signals from Russia over Ukraine, says Boris Johnson

Mixed signals from Russia over Ukraine, says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has said there are "mixed signals" from Russia, after it said it was pulling back some of its troops from near Ukraine.

The PM said talks between Russia and Western powers has shown "signs of a diplomatic opening" to avert conflict.

But he added latest intelligence on Russian military activity was "not encouraging".

Russia denies it is planning an attack, despite having more than 100,000 troops at Ukraine's border.

The build-up has brought increasingly grave warnings in recent days, with the UK joining the US in saying an invasion could come at any time.

Speaking to reporters after an emergency meeting of UK ministers to discuss the situation, Mr Johnson said Russia had shown an "openness to conversations" about resolving the crisis diplomatically.

'Tough' sanctions


But he added that intelligence on Tuesday showed Russian forces were "being brought closer to the border" with Ukraine.

Intelligence suggests Russia is also constructing field hospitals near the border, he added, in what could only be interpreted as "as preparation for an invasion".

He said the West wanted to see a "programme of de-escalation" from Russia, and had a "very tough" set of sanctions "ready to go" in the event an invasion takes place.

He added that the UK was prepared to target Russian banks and companies, and stop them raising money on London's financial markets.

He also said British ministers had made the "balanced decision" to keep the UK's embassy open in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv - after the US announced it was relocating its embassy operations to the western city of Lviv.

Mr Johnson said the UK had to "face the fact that there is a risk," but added that keeping the embassy going "for as long as possible" is "an important symbol" of the UK's continued support for Ukraine.

He also warned a programme of sanctions was ready to go if Russia did go ahead with an invasion - warning the UK was ready to target ownership of companies and the ability of Russians to raise capital on London's markets.

Since 2015, the UK had sent dozens of troops to Ukraine to help train their armed forces.

But the remaining UK forces, consisting of about 100 personnel, are now out of Ukraine, the BBC has been told. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is understood to have confirmed this to MPs on a briefing call on Tuesday afternoon.

Ukrainian Armed Forces hold a drill in the eastern part of the country


'Cautious optimism'


Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged the government to take a "very tough line on sanctions," arguing that Russia needs to know there would be "serious consequences" if they took action against Ukraine.

Russia's defence minister has said that some of the country's troops positioned on the border with Ukraine would be returning to their bases.

Nato's secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said there had been no signs of "reduced Russian military presence on the borders of Ukraine".

But he added that Moscow's "willingness to continue to engage in diplomatic efforts" gave "reason for cautious optimism".

In a letter to MPs, Foreign Office Secretary Liz Truss said the government judged that an invasion was "highly likely" but she also warned "this stalemate could continue for an extended period".

Conservative MP and former British army officer Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, warned against trusting Russian statements about the situation in Ukraine.

Speaking to the BBC's World at One, he said: "Let's not pretend we can believe anything that comes out of Moscow - they have lied and lied and lied."


Speaking after a Cobra meeting, Boris Johnson says intel on Ukraine is not encouraging


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×