British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned of a "war" in Ukraine.
"A war would be catastrophic and also pointless, tragic and would very quickly become economically expensive for Russia," Johnson said on Thursday during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels.
The Kremlin must also see that.
Stoltenberg spoke of a "dangerous moment for European security".
Johnson spoke of the “biggest security crisis for Europe in decades”.
But there was still an opportunity to reduce tension and return to dialogue.
Stoltenberg again called on Russia to use the NATO-Russia Council discussion forum.
He made that clear in a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday, he said.
According to him, the NATO defense ministers in Brussels want to discuss strengthening the so-called Battle Groups in south-eastern member countries from next Wednesday.
At the same time, Johnson defended Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), who has been criticized for his position on the German-Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
The British Prime Minister congratulated Scholz "for taking a tougher stance on Nord Stream 2".
Johnson added: "This is difficult for Germany and the German economy."
Johnson then wanted to travel on to Warsaw.
A meeting with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was planned there.
The British government had previously announced that it would send another 350 soldiers to the Polish border region with Belarus.
So far, about a hundred British military personnel are deployed there.
Johnson also reportedly wanted to meet with them.