NICOLA Sturgeon has made a direct appeal to Boris Johnson to waive visa requirements for Ukrainians seeking refuge.

But her plea fell on deaf ears, with Priti Patel ruling out a waiver hours later. The Home Secretary cited security concerns, although she added that up to 100,000 people could come to the UK as a result of a “bespoke humanitarian route”.

The First Minister called on the Prime Minister to step in and allow anyone fleeing the Russian invasion to come to the UK, saying “the paperwork can be sorted out later on”.

The UK Government announced on Sunday that only those with immediate family in Britain would be able to seek refuge.

READ MORE: Russian-owned ship will not dock in Orkney, says council chief

Speaking during a visit to Aberdeen yesterday, the First Minister said: “I think the UK’s current position on refuge for people fleeing from Ukraine is unacceptable and if it doesn’t change and change substantially very soon, it risks – at a time when we should be building maximum unity – being embarrassing for the UK.

“I am calling on the Prime Minister, I am appealing to the Prime Minister, to follow the example of Ireland, follow the example of the entire European Union and have a situation, effectively, where anyone from Ukraine who is seeking refuge in the UK is allowed entry to the UK with no visa requirements, and the paperwork can be sorted later on.

“The position announced by the Prime Minister last night restricting that kind of approach not even just to family members of people already here, but to immediate family members, is woefully inadequate.

“It doesn’t meet the moment. This is a time to step up and do everything we can to support Ukrainians and I hope we will see significant movement from the UK Government over the course of today.”

Ruling out a waiver, Patel said: “Security and biometric checks are a fundamental part of our visa approval process worldwide and will continue, as they did for the evacuation of people from Afghanistan. That is vital to keep British citizens safe and to ensure that we are helping those in genuine need, particularly as Russian troops are now infiltrating Ukraine and merging into Ukrainian forces.

Intelligence reports also state the presence of extremist groups and organisations who threaten the region but also our domestic homeland. We know all too well what Putin’s Russia is willing to do, even on our soil, as we saw through the Salisbury attack.”

The SNP at Westminster earlier demanded that the UK Government follow the lead of the EU by waiving visa requirements. The EU confirmed that it would take in Ukrainian refugees for up to three years without asking them to go through the paperwork of applying for asylum first – and regardless of whether or not they have a family connection in any EU member state.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon defends Liz Truss after Russia blames her for Putin's nuclear move

"The SNP’s shadow home secretary Stuart McDonald MP said: “The Home Secretary’s announcement – or lack of – was a dereliction of duty and it fell a million miles short of what was needed at this critical time to support Ukrainian refugees in desperate need of our help.

“The grim reality is that the UK Government is alone amongst our European allies in forcing Ukrainians seeking safety to jump through its restrictive visa hoops to reach sanctuary here. It is even more alone in legislating to criminalise, marginalise and impoverish those who seek asylum through its anti-refugee bill.

“The UK Government must match its rhetoric with real action and commit to following the lead of our EU partners by waiving visa requirements for Ukrainian refugees. Anything less than that is unacceptable.”