Allies gather in Kyiv to demand urgent ceasefire

The gathering of European leaders in Kyiv was in stark contrast with the VE Day commemorations in Moscow, where the Russian autocrat hosted China’s Xi Jinping and leaders from Brazil, Venezuela, Serbia and Slovakia.

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BORIS Johnson issued a rallying cry against the “cruel and criminal” war waged by Vladimir Putin’s Russia against Ukraine as European leaders gathered in Kyiv.

Just days after marking 80 years since Victory in Europe Day, the former Tory leader likened the Russian president to Adolf Hitler and urged Britain and its allies to seize Russia’s $300billion in frozen assets and back a new round of sanctions.

Pressing Britons to stand strong with a “heroic” Ukraine as Volodymyr Zelensky’s nation resists the invasion, Mr Johnson warned that Putin “will not stop the violence until he has no alternative”.

He told the Sunday Express: “We need finally to put the squeeze on Putin and we need to show him once and for all that he will never conquer Ukraine.”

The former Prime Minister’s intervention comes at a crucial stage in the war, with Sir Keir Starmer yesterday joining French, German and Polish leaders in Kyiv to push Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire.

He travelled by train with French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz to meet Mr Zelensky for a summit, which also included Polish leader Donald Tusk.

Sir Keir warned if Putin “turns his back on peace” then Russia will face ramped up sanctions and Ukraine will receive increased military aid.