BORIS Johnson has confirmed the UK is to reopen its embassy in Kyiv next week. 

The facility has been closed since the war began on February 24. 

Speaking at a press conference in India, the Prime Minister acknowledged that there was a possibility the conflict could continue for many more months, and that Vladimir Putin may win.

However he said that Putin would not break the spirit of the Ukrainian people.

Mr Johnson said: "We will, very shortly, next week, reopen our embassy in Ukraine's capital city.

"I want to pay tribute to those British diplomats who remained elsewhere in the region throughout this period.

"The united kingdom and our allies will not watch passively as Putin carries on this onslaught." 

Asked if he agreed with some experts, who have suggested the war could continue until the end of the year and that Russia may be ultimately victorious, Mr Johnson said: "I think the sad thing is that is a realistic possibility.

"Of course, Putin has a huge army. He has a very difficult position because he's made a catastrophic blunder.

"The only option he now has really is to continue to try to use his his appalling grinding approach led by artillery, trying to grind the Ukrainians down and he's very close to securing a land bridge in in Mariupol.

"The situation is, I'm afraid, unpredictable at this stage. We just gotta be realistic about that." 

The Prime Minister continued: "What we've also seen is the incredible heroism of the Ukrainians and their willingness to fight and I tell you something, I think though no matter what military superiority Vladimir Putin may be able to bring to bear in the next few months, and I agree it could be it could be a long period, he will not be able to conquer the spirit of the Ukrainian people.

"That is just an observable fact on the country.

"What he's doing every day is strengthening and reinforcing that will to resist in the people of Ukraine." 

Mr Johnson swerved questions about his tenure as Prime Minister despite several questions form journalists, who asked whether the public were wrong to care about partygate and whether he would still be in place in October, the deadline he has set for securing a trade deal with India. 

He said he would still be the country's Prime Minister, and insisted people wanted to move on and talk about more pressing issues.

Mr Johnson was also asked whether he had pressured the Indian premier over the war in Ukraine.

Narendra Modi has so far refused to condemn Putin publicly, or support Ukraine.

However Mr Johnson insisted that his Indian counterpart wanted to see Russia leave the country and sought "peace". 

He said: "Prime Minister Modi, it's clear that he has already intervened several times. "I'm sure this is no secret,  he's interviewed several times with Vladimir Putin to ask him what on earth he thinks he's doing, and where he thinks this is going.

"What the Indians want is the Russians out, and I totally agree with that.

"There's a difference in the balance, clearly because India has a historic relationship with Russia, which everybody understands and respects that goes back decades."