BORIS Johnson and Joe Biden were set for emergency talks last night as fears Russia will invade Ukraine soared.
The call between the US and UK, and Nato allies France, Italy and Germany came as the US President warned Vladimir Putin that retaliation with sanctions would be swift if he crossed the border by force.
The Russians have massed 70,000 troops on the frontier with Ukraine, with the US claiming they are poised to attempt to annex the former Soviet satellite state.
Mr Johnson’s spokesman warned Russia to de-escalate tensions. And the White House said they could even deploy troops to the region in support of Nato.
An official promised “additional forces and capabilities and exercises to ensure the safety and security of our eastern flank allies in the face of aggression in Ukraine.”
They added: “We have had intensive discussions with our European partners about what we would do in the event of a major Russian military escalation in Ukraine.
“We have a path involving substantial economic countermeasures, by both the Europeans and the United States, that would impose severe harm on the Russian economy.”
Last week Liz Truss held "robust" talks with her Moscow counterpart.
Her spokesman said: "The Foreign Secretary expressed concern about rising tensions across Europe, and restated the UK’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, urging the Russian government to de-escalate the situation.”
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