Boris slaps down EU demanding they cut Russia gas 'from bloodstream' in 'severe sanctions'
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson has demanded the EU gets Russian gas "out of the bloodstream" as the Kremlin sparks fears of an imminent invasion of Ukraine.
Nord Stream 2: Mistake 'must be corrected' says Vasylenko
The Prime Minister urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to step back from "the edge of a precipice" to avoid war. He added that the current situation in Ukraine is now "very, very dangerous" and vowed the West will "stand together" against Moscow. Mr Johnson also called out EU countries like Germany who are over-reliant on the Kremlin's energy supplies.
He said: "All European countries need to get Nord Stream out of the bloodstream.
"Yank out that hypodermic drip feed of Russian hydrocarbons that is keeping so many European economies going.
"We need to find alternative sources of energy, we need to get ready to impose some very, very severe economic consequences on on Russia."
The EU currently relies on Russian gas for around 40 percent of its energy imports.
The UK, meanwhile, imports around one to three percent of gas from Moscow.
Russia has been accused in recent months of "weaponising" its supplies in order to push through the certification of Nord Stream 2.
The pipeline, that is already built, will bypass Ukraine and Poland to deliver gas from Russia to Germany.
The West has been scrambling to prevent a Russian invasion of Ukraine after it emerged that 140,000 troops were stationed at the Russia-Ukraine border.
To discourage an invasion, the US has threatened “severe” sanctions, including scrapping a gas project that Moscow and Berlin will be involved in.
While up to seven EU countries have openly opposed the project, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has refused to explicitly agree that Nord Stream 2 will be abandoned if Russia invades.
And France too appears “hesitant” to come down too hard on Moscow, possibly as a quarter of its natural gas is supplied by Russia.
Speaking during a visit to Rosyth Shipyard in Scotland, Mr Johnson added: "There's all sorts of signs that show that there are serious preparations for an invasion.
"We've got to realise that this is a very, very dangerous, difficult situation.
"We are on the edge of a precipice but there is still time for President Putin to step back.
"What we're urging is for everybody to engage in dialogue and for the Russians to avoid a disastrous mistake.
"What we need to do is make sure that President Putin understands the economic consequences, the political consequences of doing this."
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will lead a meeting of the government's emergency response committee later on Monday to discuss the reaction to the situation in Ukraine.
It comes as Brits in Ukraine were today given a final warning to get out of the country now with a Russian invasion "very imminent".