Ukraine live updates: UK keeping some Russia sanctions ‘in locker’ – as Boris Johnson faces calls to go further on Putin | World News

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Foreign Secretary defends sanctions package and says it will ‘inflict pain’ on Putin

Liz Truss has defended the UK’s sanctions on Russia against suggestions they are a “tepid response,” saying “this is the toughest sanctions regimes we have ever put in place against Russia.”

The foreign secretary told Sky News the package will be “inflicting pain” on Russia’s Vladimir Putin, describing it as a “strong response”.

She said Foreign Office officials had worked through the night to get the package ready after Russia recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent – a move that has concerned the West.

“We have not yet seen a full-scale invasion but we are very clear that if President Putin escalates, we the international community will escalate our sanctions,” she said.

Ms Truss said Mr Putin “cannot play divide and rule”.

The UK is considering further sanctions such as targeting those in Russia’s parliament who voted for the breakaway regions to become independent, and expanding the territory under current sanctions to include these rebel-held regions.

It is important to “retain some sanctions in the locker”, Ms Truss said, in the “very likely event” that Russia launches a full-scale invasion.

“We are doing all we can do deter Vladimir,” she said.

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