Revealed in error, the official files that show Britain will NOT support military action against Russia



Cameron's adviser Hugh Powell left file on display to photographers

Document revealed Britain will not impose sanctions against Russia

Will not support military action against the country either, it showed



Also disclosed Russian investors will not be frozen out of City of London

Hague and Cameron claimed today they would 'get tough' with Russia



Britain will not impose sanctions or support military action against Russia, according to a briefing paper that was revealed in error yesterday.

The document became public when one of David Cameron’s advisers left it on display to press photographers before a Downing Street meeting.

The blunder by Hugh Powell, who is deputy national security adviser, also shows that the Government has no plans to freeze Russian investors out of the City of London.

A document (pictured) that stated Britain will not impose sanctions on Russia or support military action was revealed by accident

The document was revealed by deputy national security adviser Hugh Powell to photographers as he walked past No10 to attend a meeting about the crisis in Ukraine Instead, the briefing paper recommends that the UN should take the lead and possibly send monitors to Ukraine. The document says: ‘UK should not support for now, trade sanctions ... or close London’s financial centre to Russians.’ RELATED ARTICLES Previous

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Next Putin watches war games as Russia cranks up the tension with... Ukraine's call to arms: Former prime minister Tymoshenko... Share this article Share It also says that Britain should ‘discourage any discussions (eg at Nato) of emergency military preparations’.

Downing Street sources confirmed that the briefing document is official policy.



HOW WE'LL RAMP UP DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE

The leaked document reveals details of the UK’s plans for raising pressure on Russia. Several key elements will interest the Kremlin: WHAT IT SAYS

The papers show plans to break off relations with Russia through a series of international organisations. Clearly legible are references to the G8, EU-Russia formats and the NATO-Russia council and it says ‘visa restrictions/travel bans on key’ personnel.

WHAT IT MEANS

EU foreign ministers plan to suspend cooperation with Russia over the planned G8 summit in Sochi in June. The EU has suspended cooperation over visas.

WHAT IT SAYS

‘UK should not support for now, trade sanctions...or close London’s financial centre to Russians.’

WHAT IT MEANS

US Secretary of State John Kerry has threatened asset freezes on Russians in America. But Britain does not intend to follow suit, for fear of losing Russian investment.

WHAT IT SAYS

A section on Ukraine talks about a technical assistance package and mentions a ‘deep and comprehensive’ trade deal and ‘contingency EU work on providing Ukraine with alternative gas supplies if Russia cuts them off’.

WHAT IT MEANS

The UK yesterday pledged £10million in aid to the Ukrainian government to help stabilise the country. EU ministers said they were keen to pursue a free trade agreement with Ukraine. No. 10 confirmed that the UK has urged EU officials to help Ukraine buy its energy elsewhere.

WHAT IT SAYS

Britain should back the ‘deployment of OSCE and/or UN (but not EU) monitors to Crimea and Eastern Ukraine’, ‘push UN Secretary General Ban to take the lead’, ‘accept a special European Council’ and ‘discourage any discussions (eg at Nato) of emergency military preparations’.

WHAT IT MEANS

Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe monitors began deploying to Ukraine last night.

A special EU summit will be held on Thursday. Effective ruling out of support for military action.



Ministers fear that imposing trade restrictions or somehow excluding Russians from the financial markets in London will hurt economic growth and deter foreign investment.

The capital is known as ‘Londongrad’ due to the number of millionaire Russian oligarchs based here. A senior figure said: ‘We’re trying to find ways of hurting Russia, not hurting ourselves.’



Mr Powell, who was at Eton with the Prime Minister, is the son of Margaret Thatcher’s chief foreign policy adviser Charles Powell and nephew of Tony Blair’s chief of staff Jonathan Powell.

The document undermined claims by Mr Cameron and William Hague that the UK was set to get tough with Russia.

Visiting the Ukrainian capital Kiev, the Foreign Secretary described the situation as the biggest crisis in Europe in the 21st century.

David Cameron and William Hague - pictured meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minsiter Arseniy Yatsenyuk today - claimed the UK was set to get tough with Russia

He warned Russian president Vladimir Putin that he faces a ‘significant cost’ for taking control of the Ukrainian region.

After chairing the National Security Council meeting, Mr Cameron said a clear message needed to be ‘sent to the Russian government that continuing down this path of violating the sovereignty of another country will have costs and consequences’.

He added: ‘We shall have to bring to bear diplomatic, political, economic and other pressures.’

US secretary of state John Kerry threatened to deny Russians in America access to their money today

By contrast, US secretary of state John Kerry went much further, threatening to deny Russians in America access to their money. He said Mr Putin ‘may find himself with asset freezes on Russian business. American business may pull back, there may be a further tumble of the rouble’.

Last night EU foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels, agreed to suspend cooperation with Russia over the planned G8 summit in Mr Putin’s holiday home of Sochi in June.

The EU will also suspend cooperation on visas and they warned that ‘further sanctions’ may be imposed after an emergency summit on Thursday. A Downing Street spokesman refused to discuss the leak. ‘We never comment on security matters,’ he said.

Labour MP Simon Danczuk called for Mr Powell to resign, pointing out that Bob Quick – the former Scotland Yard head of counter-terrorism – was forced to quit in 2009 after a similar mistake.

He said: ‘It’s astonishing that the deputy national security adviser can’t keep sensitive documents like this private. It’s clearly a serious issue and needs to be addressed.’

Tory MP Douglas Carswell added: ‘I’m surprised to hear that Inspector Clouseau is working in Downing Street. We have literally shown all our cards.’