UK’s Truss sceptical on Russia-Ukraine peace talks

LONDON (Reuters) – British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she was sceptical about peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and said Russian President Vladimir Putin needed to withdraw troops for them to succeed, adding that he must be stopped “at all costs”.

“I am sceptical about the peace talks whilst Putin is still waging war in Ukraine. He has to implement a ceasefire and withdraw his troops for those peace talks to be taken seriously,” Truss told BBC TV.

“If we don’t make sure that Vladimir Putin loses in Ukraine, the likelihood is that he will want to go further. We have to stop him at all costs,” she added. “It’s so important that we stop Vladimir Putin, he is a real threat the world faces.”

Earlier this week, health minister Sajid Javid reiterated that NATO would respond if Russian missiles landed in NATO territory even as he said such an attack was “very unlikely”.

When asked what she meant by “at all costs” on Wednesday, Truss said: “we have to do everything we can within our powers to sanction the Russian regime … we are now sending anti-aircraft weapons (to Ukraine) because we don’t want this conflict to go any further. That’s why we have to be tough now.

“And it is why we have to work with countries around the world, some of whom we won’t agree with on many, many issues, but what we agree with them on is that we cannot see Russia simply ride over the sovereignty of another nation.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is visiting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates this week where he is seeking increased supplies of oil amid soaring crude prices due to the war.

(Reporting by William James; writing by Muvija M; Editing by Alex Richardson)