‘Unprecedented’ sanctions can still reverse Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, UK minister insists

‘Even if Vladimir Putin doesn’t care, the people around him will feel this - and they absolutely do care,’ James Cleverly claims

“Unprecedented” sanctions that will hit Russia hard can still reverse Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine, a Foreign Office minister has insisted.

James Cleverly dismissed fears that the Russian president has priced in Western sanctions – arguing the rouble is already collapsing, which will also have “a meaningful impact”.

Ahead of further sanctions being announced – following an emergency Cobra meeting in Downing Street – Mr Cleverly said the invasion was unfolding as the UK had “predicted”.

On sanctions, he said they would “hopefully persuade people around Vladimir Putin that this is completely the wrong thing to do and he should reverse this attack”.

“Even if Vladimir Putin doesn’t care, the people around him will feel this - and they absolutely do care,” the minister argued.

He also urged Russian generals to step in to end what he called Mr Putin’s “Tsarist fantasy” – amid growing speculation about the Russian’s president’s mental state.

Mr Cleverly spoke after Russian forces launched an overnight military assault on Ukraine in four regions, with reports of missile strikes in major cities.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, warned it “could be the beginning of a big war on the European continent” and appealed for help, after declaring a state of emergency.

The minister again made clear that UK troops will not be sent to Ukraine, which is not a member of Nato.

“We will, of course, give support to the Ukrainians in their own self-defence,” Mr Cleverly said.

And he told Sky News: “We will be bringing forward, in close concert with our international friends and allies, an unprecedented, coordinated sanction response to punish this appalling decision.”

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, issued a five-point plea for assistance, including shutting Russia out of the SWIFT international payments system.

His country also needed weapons, financial help and humanitarian assistance – and for the West to “fully isolate Russia by all means, in all formats”.

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said: “It is President Putin who is bringing war back to Europe. In these dark hours, the European Union and its people stand by Ukraine and its people.”

His “target is not only Donbas, the target is not only Ukraine. The target is the stability in Europe and the whole of the international peace order,” she said, adding: “We will hold President Putin accountable for that.”

This infographic, created for The Independent by statistics agency Statista, shows the relative military strength of Ukraine and Russia (Statista/The Independent)

Labour leader Keir Starmer said: “We must urgently reinforce our Nato allies. The hardest possible sanctions must be taken against all those linked to Putin.

“The influence of Russian money must be extricated from the UK. And those who have for too long turned a blind eye to Russia’s actions must reckon with their own consciences.”