I was on a Ukrainian train heading for Kyiv to discuss UK support for Ukraine this week when Putin’s latest attack hit the city.
Ballistic missiles. Long range drones. More terror, death and destruction raining down on Ukrainians, taking yet more lives and ruining more livelihoods.
My trip to Kyiv came almost three years after Russia launched its barbaric full-scale invasion, and just a few months after my last visit. Once again, it brought into sharp focus the suffering that people across Ukraine have endured for 1,088 days now. And despite what we’ve heard in the news over the past few days, it showed that the fighting and misery have not yet stopped.
Everyone wants this terrible conflict to end, and Ukraine must be part of the negotiation process. But even more importantly, when the fighting ends, it must be followed by a lasting peace.
An end to Russian aggression. A secure future for Europe. And a chance for Ukrainians to rebuild their shattered country.
But we certainly aren’t there yet. Right now, the war is still in full flow. While Putin is weak, he’s still undeniably dangerous. That’s why we must put Ukraine in the strongest possible position ahead of and during any talks.
So, while I met with Ukrainian troops in Kyiv, on the other side of Europe, Defence Secretary John Healey chaired a summit of nearly 50 nations in Brussels to discuss military support to keep Ukraine in the fight.
And the message was clear. Europe is stepping up. We’re making sure that Ukrainian soldiers have the equipment they need – from modernised T-72 tanks to 10,000 more drones.
We’re stepping up because Ukraine matters. It matters because Britain and Europe’s security starts in Ukraine. Because if one country can redraw boundaries by force, then you can be sure that other countries are watching and will try to do the same. And because there cannot be global security without peace in Ukraine.
That is why 2025 is the critical year, not just for Ukraine, but for the security of our world for decades to come.
The Russian threat is real, even though this war is revealing Putin’s weakness. Here in Britain, we’re defending against that threat. This week, Russian ships carrying military equipment from Syria were escorted by the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary from the Bay of Biscay through to the North Sea. I thank our Armed Forces for their professionalism.
National security is a foundation for our Plan for Change. This Government will always do what’s needed to protect Britain. That is why we are increasing defence spending by nearly £3 billion this year, conducting a comprehensive Strategic Defence Review, backing our Armed Forces, and delivering for defence.
The lesson from each stage of this appalling conflict is that security and peace can only be won from a position of strength. That is why, alongside allies and partners, we are putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position to achieve a peace that lasts. Because that is the only way to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad.
