The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ruled out on Tuesday that Russia, host of the Champions League final on May 28, might still host international football competitions following Moscow’s recognition of pro-Russian separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.
“It is absolutely vital at this critical time that President Putin understands that what he is doing will spell disaster for Russia.“, said Boris Johnson following announcing in Parliament sanctions once morest Russian banks and oligarchs.
“And it is clear, given the world’s response to what it has already done in Donbass (eastern Ukraine, editor’s note), that it will end up with a poorer Russia because of the sanctions that the world will implement“, he added.
“A more isolated Russia, a Russia with pariah status“, he added. “No chance of holding football tournaments in a Russia that invades sovereign countries“, he continued, saying he hoped that Vladimir Poutine “step back from the precipice” and does not proceed to “a total invasionfrom Ukraine.
Russia, host country of the 2018 World Cup, is to host the Champions League final on May 28 in Saint Petersburg.
The Gazprom Arena hosted several Euro matches played last summer, including a quarter-final.
