PM's top security adviser says Europe faces hard winter to keep pressure on Putin

Image source, Getty Images By James Landale Diplomatic correspondent Published 12 minutes ago Jonathan Powell, the UK national security adviser, has said Europe must be ready to endure "real hardship" this winter if it is to keep up economic pressure on Russia.

In rare public remarks, Powell told a conference in Kyiv that Europe's strategy of supporting Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Moscow was working.

He said talk of Russian escalation was "not a problem" but a "sign of success" that pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin was finally paying off.

So he said now was not the time for European nations to take their "foot off the gas" and ease sanctions even though the continent faces severe energy shortages this winter.

Powell also said the US and Europe should maintain contact with President Putin – despite describing the Russian leader as a "terrorist".