Boris Johnson says war can still be avoided in Ukraine as he heads to Munich for talks

Prime minister said West must unite to show Russia it will pay a ‘high price’ for an incursion.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will head to the Munich security conference on Saturday (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Archive)

Boris Johnson is set to tell world leaders that there is “still a chance to avoid unnecessary bloodshed” in Ukraine as tension continues to mount with Russia.

The Prime Minister will visit Germany this weekend for the Munich security conference on Saturday to discuss the crisis with his Western counterparts.

The trip comes as the US government claimed an invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces could come within “several days”. Russia denies it has plans to attack, but has built up an estimated 150,00 troops on its neighbour’s border.

Mr Johnson has previously called the situation in eastern Europe “very grim” but stressed before his departure to Bavaria that “diplomacy can still prevail” if leaders unite.

This could demonstrate to the Russian administration in Moscow that it would face a “high price” for any incursion, he said.

Allies need to speak with one voice to stress to President Putin the high price he will pay

Boris Johnson

Russian president Vladimir Putin has insisted that large-scale military exercises with Belarusian forces close to the Ukrainian border are “purely defensive” and do not represent a threat to invade.

Speaking ahead of his visit Mr Johnson told reporters said: “There is still a chance to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but it will require an overwhelming display of western solidarity beyond anything we have seen in recent history.

“Allies need to speak with one voice to stress to President Putin the high price he will pay for any further Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“Diplomacy can still prevail. That is the message I will take to Munich today as we redouble our efforts to prevent a grave miscalculation which would devastate Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe.”

There are worries that Russia could invade Ukraine in a matter of days (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP) (AP)

The Kremlin said this week it was is withdrawing some of its military presence from the region, but western government say intelligence suggests that 7,000 troops have actually arrived on the border in recent days.

Other apparent causes for alarm include claims of field hospitals and pontoon bridges spotted close to the border.

There has also been increased activity in the separatist-held eastern region of Ukraine, including reports of a major explosion in the centre of the city of Donetsk on Friday.