‘Russia wants to humiliate Biden’Vine theory on next US election will leave you staggered

The BBC Radio 2 presenter shared his theory as he prepared to discuss the growing tensions between Russia and the West which have left Ukraine fearing invasion. Vladimir Putin is believed to have deployed as many as 100,000 troops to its border with the Eastern European country in a bid to pressure NATO into rejecting proposals to welcome Kiev to its table. But Jeremy Vine argued an alternative motive could be hiding behind Moscow’s persistent hostility towards its neighbour.

US President Joe Biden has been leading efforts to defuse the tension but over recent days concerns about a potential invasion have only rocketed.

President Biden said NATO leaders and US allies had discussed preparations to “impose severe economic costs” against Moscow while seeking to “reinforce security on the eastern flank”.

The Pentagon has put 8,500 US troops on heightened alert, preparing them for a possible deployment to reassure Nato allies amid rising tensions.

Washington also ordered the families of all American personnel at the US Embassy to leave Ukraine in response to the risk of an invasion.

READ MORE: Ukraine sends in troops to defend CHERNOBYL: Radioactive zone in line for Russian attack

France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Olaf Scholz, Poland’s Andrzej Duda, and Italy’s Mario Draghi also joined the video call on Monday evening, along with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg.

Following the meeting, Downing Street said in a statement: “The leaders agreed that should a further Russian incursion into Ukraine happen, allies must enact swift retributive responses including an unprecedented package of sanctions.”

Mr Johnson emphasised the need to support Ukraine’s defences “against the full spectrum of malign Russian activity”.

But Brussels’ foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said: “We are not going to do the same thing”,

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And Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said the US decision was “a premature step” and a sign of “excessive caution”.

Updating Parliament about his meeting with other world leaders, Mr Johnson told the Commons: “Last night I held a virtual meeting with President Biden, President Macron, Chancellor Scholz, President Duda, Prime Minister Draghi, General-Secretary Stoltenberg, President Michel, and President von der Leyen.

“We agreed that we would respond in unison to any Russian attack on Ukraine, in unison by imposing coordinated and severe economic sanctions heavier than anything we have done before against Russia.

“And we agreed on the necessity of finalising these measures as swiftly as possible in order to maximise their deterrent effect.”