Ukraine war: PM to hold talks with world leaders on further sanctions

Boris Johnson is to hold talks with the Canadian and Dutch prime ministers in London, as Western powers prepare to agree further sanctions on Russia.

But the government’s refugee policy is coming under scrutiny after it was confirmed over the weekend that about 50 Ukrainians had been granted visas.

Meanwhile, Parliament is to pass legislation targeting money laundering by oligarchs close to Vladimir Putin.

It comes amid calls to do more as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues.

Ukrainian cities have continued to suffer intense shelling, with officials saying Russian forces are targeting hospitals, nurseries and schools, and residents have been caught up in the assault.

Russia says it will open up humanitarian corridors in several areas on Monday – after two previous attempts to evacuate civilians collapsed. The proposed routes out of Kyiv and Kharkiv lead to Belarus and Russia.

Mr Johnson is expected to push for further action to remove Russia from the Swift banking payment system, and will call for the international community to support his proposals to tackle Russian aggression when he meets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Europe minister James Cleverly said Russia’s latest offer of a ceasefire – the third so far – was “cynical beyond belief” as most of the escape routes went into Russia or its ally Belarus.

“Providing evacuation routes into the arms of the country that is currently destroying yours is a nonsense,” he told BBC Breakfast.

He said the UK would “believe it when we see it” when it came to promises from Russia, and added the most humanitarian thing Russia could do was to “end this completely illegal, completely unjustified invasion of Ukraine”.

Home Office sources have said they are in the early stages of exploring a scheme to provide humanitarian access to people fleeing the conflict.

But a senior government source told the BBC the focus was still the two schemes for Ukrainian refugees that have already been announced, and the need for further action was being kept under review.

There has been some confusion about the government’s refugee policy, with the Sun reporting that Home Secretary Priti Patel was “investigating legal options” to create a route which would mean anyone without ties to the UK fleeing the conflict would have the right to come to the UK.

The UK has steadily increased its visa offer to refugees from the war and Ms Patel said she was “doing everything possible” to speed up efforts to issue the travel permits.

Asked about refugees being taken in by the UK, Mr Cleverly said he did not have the latest numbers to hand but that the final figure of Ukrainians granted visas would be “significantly” more than 50.

He added the government would make the process “as quick, easy and as fast as possible”.

“We are looking to create something very, very large-scale very, very quickly,” he said. “Initially it will be slower than we would like but that will pick up.”

More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine since the invasion began, according to the UN refugee agency.

About 50 Ukrainians – about 1% of the 5,535 people who have applied – have so far been granted visas under a scheme for refugees with family links to the UK, the Home Office has said.

Source: BBC