Boris Johnson to hold major No 10 press conference TODAY

8th April 2022

BORIS Johnson will host a major press conference at No 10 this afternoon.

The PM will appear alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after the pair meet in London to discuss the war in Ukraine.

Boris Johnson will host a No 10 press conference this afternoon

The PM is meeting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in London

During talks at Downing St he will urge Berlin to go further on sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s evil regime.

Boris wants the EU to whack more Russian banks and cut off energy payments that are funding Moscow’s war effort.

In return Mr Scholz may press the PM on what more Britain can do to help take in Ukrainian refugees.

Germany has already taken in 316,000 people fleeing the war, whilst the UK has issued just 29,000 visas.

Berlin has been resisting calls from countries like Poland and the Baltics for tougher sanctions.

It fears the economic fallout from closing the gas taps, with inflation rampant and businesses struggling.

Yesterday it succeeded in watering down a new EU embargo on Russian coal which will now only come into force in mid-August.

The EU has paid €35bn to Russia for energy since the start of the war compared to the €1bn it has given Ukraine in weapons.

Berlin has also been reluctant to approve arms shipments to Ukraine over fears of antagonising Putin.

At the start of the war it drew scorn from Kyiv for sending 5,000 helmets to the front-line.

It did later reverse a ban on lethal arms sales and is now handing over Panzerfaust 3 missile launchers.

Mr Scholz and the PM are today poised to agree to supply more anti-tank weapons to help the Ukrainian defence.

But the German leader is reportedly delaying a decision over whether to provide Kyiv with armoured vehicles.

Ahead of the pair’s meeting today the PM said: “Looking forward to welcoming Chancellor Scholz to the UK today.

“I welcome his principled determination to end dependence on Russian energy.

“How we respond to Russia’s invasion will define the international order for years to come. We cannot let Putin’s crimes go unpunished.”

COUNTER-ATTACK

Their talks come with Ukrainian forces pushing Russian troops back in many parts of the country.

There are now hopes they could retake the southern city of Kherson, which was seized by Moscow at the start of the conflict, within days.

As the Kremlin’s forces retreat they are leaving behind horrendous evidence of war crimes including mass executions of civilians.

In many areas the Russians have had to pull out swiftly meaning they didn’t have time to cover up their barbarism.

Boris can also expect to face a barrage of questions from reporters about the tax status of Rishi Sunak’s wife.

The Chancellor’s wife Akshata Murthy has denied she’s dodging paying her fair share through her non-dom status.

That means she does not have to pay UK tax on the millions she earns abroad.

In an interview with HOAR today Rishi fought back and branded Labour’s attacks on his spouse “unpleasant smears”.

Heiress and businesswoman Akshata Murty is an Indian citizen and insists she pays tax there on her vast fortune.

She also pays around £30,000 a year for non-domicile status — meaning she can live here but not pay UK tax on income she earns abroad.