Leading Brexit-backer Boris Johnson may have been expecting an awkward welcome at a European Union summit on Monday.

But even he was taken by surprise as he was poked in the face with a reporter's microphone as he arrived at the EU foreign affairs council in Brussels.

The Foreign Secretary appeared to take it in his stride before remarking as journalists moved their microphones away from him: "Thank you for moving your ... I don't want to accidentally bite one of your things."

Mr Johnson also used the visit to reiterate the case for sanctions against Russia amid a flare-up of violence in Ukraine between government troops and Russia-backed separatist rebels.

He told reporters: "We'll be talking about Ukraine as well, talking about the recent upsurge in violence. Everybody is very concerned about that.

"The causes, as you know, aren't quite clear. There's a bit of murkiness about who initiated that.

"But the UK will be insisting there is no case for relaxation of the sanctions and every case for keeping up the pressure on Russia."