Ukrainians should be allowed to travel to Britain without the need for a visa, Conservative MP Michael Fabricant has said.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with GB News, Mr Fabricant says he expects Boris Johnson to make an announcement regarding Ukrainians fleeing to Britain, amid their homeland's war with Russia.
Ukrainian refugees have been seeking asylum in other countries following Russia's decision to escalate their war efforts.
Asked about whether there is a need for visas by Darren McCaffrey on GB News, Fabricant stated: "Obviously we must make sure that there won't be people who will be working against Britain because not everyone is a bonafide refugee.
"There are 40,000 refugees who currently live in the United Kingdom, we've already said that all the relatives of those 40,000 can come to the UK without visas.
Fabricant made the comments as Ukrainians continue to flock to bordering nations such as Poland, Romania and Hungary.
Many have felt the effects of Russian aggression, with 44 people reported wounded in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv.
The state emergencies agency said the casualties could be higher because the damage from Monday’s shelling of residential areas is still being assessed.
The Russian military has consistently denied targeting residential areas despite abundant evidence of shelling of residential buildings, schools and hospitals.
Conservative MP Fabricant says he expects Boris Johnson to make an announcement imminently regarding visas for Ukrainians.
A woman cries next to her children after fleeing from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the border crossing in Siret, Romania, February 28, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov
STOYAN NENOV
He told GB News: "I think we should [allow Ukrainians to arrive into the UK without visas], the Prime Minister has said we intend to do just that, so stand by for further announcement".
The comments come after Boris Johnson said Vladimir Putin has made a “colossal mistake” invading Ukraine as Downing Street eyed the possibility that sanctions would bring down the Russian president’s regime.
The Prime Minister praised Ukraine for putting up a “fierce resistance”, proving Mr Putin wrong to think his tanks would be “garlanded with roses”.
Mr Johnson will continue his diplomatic push by travelling to Poland and Estonia for meetings with his counterparts and Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday.
Ministers received a briefing on Monday on the scale of discontent among the Russian people to the Kremlin’s attack on their neighbouring nation.
Mr Johnson opened the Cabinet meeting saying: “It is becoming clearer with each day that Putin had made a colossal mistake believing that the guns of his tanks would be garlanded with roses when instead the Ukrainian people had put up a fierce resistance in defence of their homeland.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Mr Johnson told officials the latest intelligence suggested Russian troops have been “hampered by logistical problems and the heroic efforts of the Ukrainian military who are inflicting significant casualties on Russian troops”.