THE BARON OF HAMPTON and influential Evening Standard owner Lord Lebedev has publicly called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

Lebedev, who lives in a private mansion in nearby Home Park named the 'Stud House,' has spoken out after critics slammed his seeming reluctance to speak out on the subject.

The Conservative Peer and son of former KGB operative Alexander Lebedev used today's Evening Standard front page as a plea to the Russian President to stop the conflict.

In a letter addressing "President Putin," and signed by himself, Lebedev wrote: "As Europe stands on the brink of another world war, and the world on the brink of a possible nuclear disaster, I plead with you to use today's negotiations to bring this terrible conflict in Ukraine to an end."

He referred to his deep personal ties with Russia, where he was born, and Britain, where he has lived since the age of 8.

He said: "As a Russian citizen I plead with you to stop Russians killing their Ukrainian brothers and sisters.

"As a British citizen I ask you to save Europe from war.

"As a Russian patriot I plead that you prevent any more young Russian soldiers from dying needlessly.

"As a citizen of the world I ask you to save the world from annihilation."

Lebedev also cited stories of the suffering of families and children in Ukraine, before concluding with a direct message to the President.

"Today's negotiations at the Ukraine-Belarus border provide a moment of hope," he wrote.

"You can stop this conflict. Please seize the moment and end this war today."

Lebedev's letter comes five days after Russian forces invaded Ukraine - an attack that was roundly condemned by the international community and leaders in the UK.

The newspaper proprietor, 41, came under fire on Twitter for his seeming reluctance to speak out on the issue.

The day after the invasion Lebedev wrote on the social media platform: "Orthodox Slavs killing their brethren on a scale not witnessed for centuries. An unimaginable tragedy for people of Ukraine and Russia."

But commenters pointed out that the post did not directly criticise Russia's leader as UK politicians had.

"Nowhere near good enough. Condemn Putin or quit the Lords," one Twitter user wrote.

Another addressed Lebedev directly, stating: "Sir, as a member of

@UKHouseofLords for Hampton and Siberia, and a British citizen of over a decade, may I respectfully ask directly your views on the illegal war in #Ukraine? "It has been disappointing that those experienced in this region have not spoken out." Lebedev's editorial comes as the UK joins other states in issuing economic sanctions against Russia in a bid to isolate the country with the hope that it will back down. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said today that he hopes the measures "inflict financial pain on Putin and his regime, to stymie the Russian war machine as it attempts to subjugate a democratic European country." Lebedev is said to be close to Johnson but the relationship is now something of a headache for the PM, according to the New Statesman's Commons Confidential gossip column. The Conservative Peer's letter is now being widely reported, making headlines at the Reuters international news agency. But critics on Twitter have said that it doesn't go far enough as the word 'invasion' is not used - with others declaring that the intervention, while welcome, has come too late.