UK, US, France, Germany condemn Russia’s 'barbaric action'

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the leaders of France, Germany and the US on Monday condemned Russia’s “barbaric action and expressed their ongoing solidarity with the people of Ukraine,” said a statement from Johnson’s office.

“They discussed the military and political situation on the ground and agree that any future negotiations on Ukraine’s future would have to put the needs and wishes of Ukrainians first,” it said.

Johnson and the other leaders “agreed to continue to apply pressure on Russia to isolate (Russian President Vladimir) Putin diplomatically and economically.”

He also “stressed that our goal must be ensuring Putin’s failure in this act of aggression against Ukraine,” the statement said.

Johnson and US and French presidents Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz “agreed to continue meeting in this format in the days ahead.”

Johnson also hosted his Canadian and Dutch counterparts in London on Monday.

He will meet with the leaders of the Visegrad Group, a cultural and political alliance of four countries of Central Europe -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger.

The leaders are expected to discuss Ukraine and European security as well as energy and cybersecurity.