Boris Johnson has openly called on disgruntled Russian scientists to flee to the UK as he uses the G7 summit to argue that allowing Russia to prevail in Ukraine would usher in an extremely damaging era of global instability.
As part of an extension to a twinning system with Ukrainian universities that allows Ukrainian academics to continue their research at UK institutions, Johnson said the proposal also applies to their Russian counterparts.
“For Russian scientists and researchers who are horrified by Putin’s violence and who no longer feel safe in Russia: you must feel free to apply to come to the UK and work in a country that values openness. freedom and the pursuit of knowledge, “Johnson said.
The so-called scheme for researchers at risk, which now has an extended budget of almost £ 10 million, will see about 130 Ukrainian academics brought to the UK and supported.
The prime minister focused heavily on Ukraine at the G-7 summit in southern Germany, and while UK officials say the summit has seen unprecedented unity among world leaders in terms of long-term support, there are few ways to take concrete action.
Downing Street said it hoped this would happen at the next NATO summit in Madrid, at which Johnson will travel on Tuesday.
A Johnson spokesman said that although it remained to be seen what the G7 communiqué contained at the end of the summit, Johnson’s main goal for the event was to help ensure “full unity”.
He added: “Obviously this G7 should not be seen in isolation, because then we go straight to NATO, where I think you can see more than the detailed elements of how this support and commitment can manifest itself.
In an effort intensified by Russian missile attacks on civilian targets during the summit, Johnson argued that while support for Ukrainian resistance would lead to even higher prices and other economic pain, the consequences of Russia’s victory would be much worse. including for the British.
Comparing the need for Russia to oppose the situation during World War II, Johnson said that while opposing fascism also led to enormous costs, it then led to decades of prosperity and stability.
Speaking to BBC News, Johnson said he needed “strategic resilience”.
He said: “Just in terms of keeping the course, imagine if we didn’t. Imagine if we allowed Putin to escape the forcible acquisition of large parts of another state, a sovereign independent territory, the lessons would be absolutely chilling in all countries of the former Soviet Union.
“In terms of economic effects, this would mean long-term instability and anxiety around the world.
In general, the prime minister said, “the price of freedom is worth paying.” He said: “Just remember that democracies in the middle of the last century took a long time to understand that they had to resist tyranny and aggression. It was very expensive.
“But what he bought in the end, with the defeat of dictators, especially Nazi Germany, bought decades and decades of stability, a world order that relied on a rules-based international system. And it’s worth defending, it’s worth defending, and it’s ensuring long-term prosperity. “
The impact of Russia’s victory, Johnson added, “will be felt in East Asia,” a clear reference to China’s ambitions in Taiwan.
Asked about this, Johnson’s spokesman said he would not identify individual countries, “but I think the prime minister is aware of the lessons of history for not being seen to take solid action when authoritarian leaders watch closely.”
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