Ukraine war will only end when Russia realises its ‘catastrophic mistake’

Boris Johnson said he believes the conflict in Ukraine will only end when Russia accepts it made a “catastrophic mistake” in invading the country.

Speaking to Sky News, the Prime Minister said the “best way out” for Russia was “withdrawal of the Russian forces and for total cessation of hostilities”. He said he did not believe Russian President Vladimir Putin could conquer the country, which has shown fierce resistance in the face of Russian attacks.

Mr Johnson told Sky News he could not see a way out of the war that did not start with Mr Putin accepting he had made “a disastrous miscalculation” and withdrew his forces. He said: “I don’t think that he can conquer Ukraine. Ukraine is a country of 45 million people.

“The best way out for Russia, for the Russian people, is for withdrawal of the Russian forces and for total cessation of hostilities. Vladimir Putin has himself made it very difficult to find an off ramp, and he has, I think, driven his tank, so to speak, down a cul-de-sac from which it will be very hard to extricate himself but he must.

“I can’t see a way out that doesn’t begin with the realisation by the Kremlin, that they made a catastrophic mistake and that it’s time to begin to withdraw it, and to withdraw immediately.”

Mr Johnson again ruled out imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, despite Russia’s strike on a maternity hospital in the besieged city of Mariupol. He said that while Vladimir Putin had abandoned “all norms of civilised behaviour”, a no-fly zone would bring the UK and Nato into direct conflict with Russia – something he was determined to avoid

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