Putin must 'desist and step back' from war in Ukraine, warns Liz Truss
Russia risks becoming embroiled in a "terrible quagmire" if it invades Ukraine, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Friday, raising the spectre of a prolonged, bloody and sapping conflict for Moscow. In a speech in Australia, the UK's top diplomat issued a blunt and personal warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he is on the brink of making a major strategic blunder. He "has not learned the lessons of history," Truss told Sydney's Lowy Institute, urging Putin to "desist and step back from Ukraine before he makes a massive strategic mistake." "Invasion will only lead to a terrible quagmire and loss of life, as we know from the Soviet-Afghan war and conflict in Chechnya," she said, referencing Moscow's past conflicts that cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Tens of thousands of Russian troops are massed on Ukraine's border, along with an arsenal of tanks, fighting vehicles, artillery and missiles. Subscribe to The Telegraph on YouTube ► https://bit.ly/3idrdLH Get the latest headlines: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/ Telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com/TelegraphTV are websites of The Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.
