UK, Germany agree Russia needs punishing if Ukraine invaded

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met on Saturday and agreed on the need for more diplomacy to stop Russian leader Vladimir Putin from ordering an invasion of Ukraine, and strong responses if Russia does attack.

"The Prime Minister and Chancellor Scholz resolved to redouble efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution to prevent unnecessary bloodshed," Johnson's office said in a statement.

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"Should President Putin make the catastrophic miscalculation to further breach Ukrainian sovereignty, allies must put in place a comprehensive response which strikes at the heart of Russia's strategic interests," the statement added.