Putin wants to grind Ukraine down. We'll not let it happen

RUSSIA'S attempts to grind down Ukraine will fail - and Britain will support the war-torn country to peace and beyond, the new Foreign Secretary has declared.

- BY LIZZY BUCHAN

In her first major interview, Yvette Cooper warned that allowing Russian aggression to go unchecked would harm security in Europe and here too.

This newspaper accompanied Ms Cooper as she travelled to Kyiv for her first trip as Foreign Secretary while Ukraine faces intensified bombardment from Moscow.

It comes as Nato countries are on high alert following Russia's violation of Polish airspace on Wednesday.

Russia and Belarus were also conducting military drills on Friday and Saturday, testing nerves on Natos eastern flank. Speaking to us on the overnight train from Kyiv, Ms Cooper said: “Ukraine’s security is our security. If Putin's aggression goes unchecked, that affects the stability and security of Europe and the UK.”

Support

The Foreign Secretary met President Volodymyr Zelensky on her visit in which she told him Ukraine had Britain's unwavering support. She said: “My message to Mr Zelensky is that we will support them, we will stand with them and we will continue to do so.”

Vladimir Putin's stalling on peace talks as Russia ramps up attacks has triggered scepticism he will ever come to the negotiations table.