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Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine appears “highly likely” despite Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin tentatively agreeing to hold a crisis summit.
The US President agreed during last-ditch diplomatic efforts against the backdrop of heightening tensions to meet his Russian counterpart on the condition Moscow does not invade.
A Number 10 spokesperson claimed Vladimir Putin’s plan has begun.
"The intelligence we are seeing suggests Russia intends to launch an invasion, and President Putin’s plan has in effect already begun".
The spokesman said the UK “stands ready to act as needed” in the face of a possible invasion of Ukraine from Russia.
Despite this, the spokesman insists “there is still a window for diplomacy" to avert war between Russia and Ukraine, amid hopes that Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin's possible crisis summit could de-escalate tensions.
The talks have been agreed "in principle" and was agreed after both parties involved spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday.
The Elysée has said that the meeting "can only be held at the condition that Russia does not invade Ukraine," in the readout of the calls.
Macron spoke to Putin in two separate conversations on Sunday, one meeting lasting an hour and 40 minutes, the second being an hour, as efforts were made to de-escalate Russia's stance towards Ukraine, which has resulted in more than 100,000 Russian troops amassing near Ukraine's border.
In its readout, the Elysée said Macron proposed the talks between Biden and Putin, and then with all parties, "to discuss security and strategic stability in Europe".
The US and Russian leaders are said to have agreed to the summit "in principle".
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would prepare the meeting, in a summit that is scheduled between the two of them on Thursday, February 24.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement that "Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Lavrov are scheduled to meet later this week in Europe, provided Russia does not proceed with military action. President Biden accepted in principle a meeting with President Putin following that engagement, again, if an invasion hasn’t happened.
We are always ready for diplomacy. We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war. And currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon".