This will be Putin’s Stalingrad’
BORIS Johnson vowed last night that Europe would emerge “stronger and more united than before” following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Prime Minister’s comments came as Moscow was warned it faced its own Stalingrad and can only take Ukraine’s capital Kyiv if it razes the city to the ground.
Russia hit back by saying Western arms convoys to Ukraine could be treated as “legitimate targets” – heightening fears Nato could be dragged into the conflict if such strikes strayed into Poland or other allied countries.
Meeting Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin in London yesterday, Mr Johnson condemned Russian attacks on civilians.
He is preparing to host Nordic and Baltic leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) northern European security coalition from tomorrow.
Mr Johnson said: “European security has been shaken by the attack of Russia on Ukraine and alongside our partners, we will take action to ensure we emerge stronger and more united than before.” He added: “Ensuring we are resilient to Putin’s threats needs to go beyond our military footing.
“Together alongside our North and Baltic Sea partners we must ensure we are insulated from Russia’s interference and impact on our energy supplies, economy and values.”
Mr Johnson will raise the importance of broader European security with JEF leaders. He will also urge them to work together to ensure no other nations fall victim to Vladimir Putin’s aggression. As more than 2.6million refugees, mostly women and children, have fled Ukraine – more than 1.6million to Poland alone – the UK Government launched its Homes for Ukraine scheme to bring evacuees to safety.
Meanwhile fierce fighting continued with air raids on the outskirts of Kyiv as the bulk of Russian ground forces were 15 miles from the city centre.
Elements of the large column were seen to disperse in a bid to encircle the city.
Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky said about 1,300 of
his troops had been killed since the invasion and 500 Russians had surrendered on Friday.
He suggested Kremlin forces could take the capital only if it “razes the city to the ground” and warned they would face a fight to the death.
Mr Zelensky said: “If they decide to carpet bomb and simply erase the history of this region, the history of the Kyivan Rus, the history of Europe, and destroy all of us, then they will enter Kyiv.
“If that’s their goal, let them come in, but they will have to live
this land by themselves.” In an early video message he said:“the losses of Russian troops are enormous. This is the biggest blow to the Russian army in decades.”
But he added Russia was sending in new troops and its aim was to overwhelm defences by sheer numbers, after Ukrainian forces had put 31 of its battalion tactical groups out of action.
Mr Zelensky said: “They use terror to break our faith in victory and in Ukraine.
“I’m sure they won’t succeed. It will not work for them. But in order for them not to succeed, we still have to fight.” The defiance was echoed by Ukraine’s youngest MP, who said the fight for Kyiv could be Russia’s new Stalingrad, a key battle which marked the beginning of the end of Hitler’s Nazi regime.
Sviatoslav Yurash, 26, said: “It’s a massive town of millions and if the Russians try to come in, they will have quite a fight on their hands.
“This will be their Stalingrad if they want to make it so. Nobody is going to surrender. I can definitely guarantee you that.”
President Zelensky also chalon lenged Putin to meet him face to face for peace talks in Jerusalem, with Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett as mediator.
In a phone call, French and German leaders urged him to order an immediate ceasefire. A French presidency official said: “We did not detect a willingness on Putin’s part to end the war.”
As the war entered its 17th day Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba added: “We will continue to fight.we are ready to negotiate but we are not going to accept any ultimatums and surrender.” He added Russia was putting forward demands that were “unacceptable”.
Seventeen Nato cargo planes are being used to fly supplies and armaments into Poland every day.
Speaking on state TV, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said: “We have warned the US that pumping weapons into Ukraine, which they have orchestrated, from a number of countries, is not just a dangerous move – it is a move that turns these convoys into legitimate targets.we have warned of the consequences that can result from this reckless transfer to Ukraine of such types of weapons as portable air-defence systems, antitank missile systems and so on.”
The Russian foreign ministry earlier said it will not negotiate with Nato, after the military alliance provided Ukraine with weapons.
It said: “Currently the countries of the alliance and more broadly – the European Union, not giving a damn about international law and their own codes of conduct, are supplying airborne weapons for the Ukrainian armed forces. Weapons destined to kill Russian servicemen.there can be