Russia and Ukraine

Yesterday evening President Biden said that he thinks Vladimir Putin may have decided to invade Ukraine.

  • We must hope that this is wrong or that Putin sees sense and steps back from this.
  • But if I ask myself: if the Russian President really was planning to invade, would he be likely to do anything very different from anything he has actually done? And my answer is no.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has urged Russia to step back from the brink and reaffirmed Britain's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty.

  • We must not be lulled into a false sense of security by Russia claiming some of their troops have been withdrawn from the Ukrainian border and will remain vigilant against false flag attacks which could be used as an excuse for war.
  • On Thursday the UK again announced a £20 million increase in our financial support to Ukraine, bringing the total to £100 million alongside arms deliveries and military training to help our Ukrainian friends defend themselves.
  • On her visit to Kyiv this week, the Foreign Secretary reaffirmed Britain's commitment to a world free from aggression and coercion, and made clear that if Russia continues down this path of aggression, they will be faced with a severe set of sanctions on a level not seen before.
  • Alongside our allies, Britain will continue to take a hard-headed approach, stressing that there is still time for the Kremlin to step back and choose a different path through diplomacy. 

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