Ukraine latest: Volodymyr Zelensky addresses G7 leaders, PM says cost of Ukraine support is price worth paying

Boris Johnson said the “price of freedom is worth paying” and the UK would support Ukraine’s fight against Russia for as long as it takes despite the cost.

The Prime Minister’s comments came as Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the leaders of the UK, US, Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Italy by video-link from Kyiv.

His address was made in private.

The G7 leaders are meeting in the luxury Schloss Elmau resort, Germany, for a key summit.

What Boris Johnson said

Mr Johnson argued that Western allies must continue to back Ukraine because standing up against Vladimir Putin’s aggression would ultimately make the world a safer and more prosperous place.

He said that if Vladimir Putin is not resisted, it could give the green light to countries such as China to pursue their own goals of territorial expansion.

The Prime Minister told the BBC at the summit in the Bavarian Alps: “I think that the economic impacts on the UK will start to abate, we’ll find ways around things and some of the cost pressures will start to come down.

“But just in terms of staying the course, imagine if you didn’t. Imagine if we allowed Putin to get away with the violent acquisition of huge chunks of another country, a sovereign, independent territory – the lessons for that would be absolutely chilling in all of the countries of the former Soviet Union, you can see what’s happening in the Baltic countries already.

“But the read across would also be felt in east Asia, as well.

“So, in terms of the economic effects of that, that would mean long-term instability, it would mean anxiety across the world.”

What’s been agreed at the summit

– The UK pledged £10 million to repair damaged Ukrainian rail infrastructure to create an overland route to get grain out of the country.

– The Government will also put £1.5 million to develop a testing process to identify whether grain sold by Russia on the world market has been illegally taken from Ukraine.

– The leaders are considering putting a price cap on Russian oil to further cripple the economy bankrolling the war effort.

Support people fleeing the devastating conflict in Ukraine: donate to the DEC appeal

Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) charities and their local partners are in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries providing food, water, shelter and medical assistance. Learn more and donate what you can today

Here are the latest updates on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.