Russia playing ‘smoke and mirrors game’, says Liz Truss

UK foreign secretary also says Kremlin could extend ambitions to other east European countries in effort recreate the Soviet Union'

• Russia-Ukraine war - latest updates

Liz Truss has accused Russia of playing a smoke and mirrors game" by pretending to seek peace despite launching an appalling war" in Ukraine, as Boris Johnson dampened down suggestions that the country could join Nato.

As the conflict neared the end of its third week, Britain's foreign secretary called it a serious threat to the global order" and suggested the Kremlin could extend its attention to other eastern European countries in a bid to recreate the Soviet Union".