Sanctions
The UK Government has instigated a targeted and flexible regime of sanctions against those who have supported Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Government has sanctioned more than 1,000 individuals, entities and subsidiaries; frozen the assets of major Russian banks; imposed punitive tariffs on key products; restricted Russia’s access to sterling clearing, to insurance, to the UK’s capital markets and to SWIFT; and has targeted the Russian central bank, too.
Be in no doubt, these sanctions, co-ordinated with our allies, are working. The Russian rouble plummeted to record lows. The Moscow stock exchange has been largely suspended for a month, and the Central Bank of Russia has been forced to more than double interest rates to 20%. We warned that an aggressive, unprovoked invasion would be met with severe economic costs, and it has.
The Government announced on 15th March that the UK will deny Russia and Belarus access to Most Favoured Nation tariff for hundreds of their exports, depriving both nations key benefits of WTO membership. The initial list of goods is worth over £900 million and includes Russian vodka which will be subject to an additional 35% tariff. The Government has also announced a ban on exports to Russia of high-end luxury goods including luxury vehicles, high-end fashion and works of art.
The Government is committed to extend sanctions as widely and deeply as necessary. As of the 8th March The UK has applied £259bn of sanctions compared to £240bn by the US and £34bn by the EU. This is because the UK has frozen the assets of the largest Russian banks, 11 have been sanctioned by the UK so far including the Russian Central Bank and Sovereign Wealth Fund. I hope that this will be followed by other countries.
Whilst the Government only sanctioned 16 new people following the invasion of Ukraine. Since 2014 the UK has sanctioned those involved in the illegal annexation of Crimea, vast swathes of the Russian Military, and a wide range of Russian industrialists. This amounts to around 260 people and has expanded since 2014 to include the those on the Magnitsky sanctions list following the Novichok attack in Salisbury. A full list of UK sanctions against Russia can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-sanctions-on-russia
The Economic Crime Act which passed all of its stages has become law contains a number of measures to ensure that the ownership of property will become more transparent and less susceptible to fraud and exploitation. Last week I spoke to the Government to urge them to use the existing powers of the Land Registry to place restrictions on property owned by Russian oligarchs and companies.
The Act also gives the Government protection from legal redress when sanctioning individuals and seizing assets, which should make it easier to pursue oligarchs and their wealth. The Act has also enabled the Government to use class exemptions, which means it is now possible to sanction the whole of the Duma, for example.
UK and EU airspace is closed to Russian aircraft and Russian shipping cannot dock in British ports. The Government has banned the import of Russian oil, by the end of 2022.
We have also introduced new aviation sanctions and we now have the power to ban Russian planes from landing on UK soil on all occasions, formalising the action we took taken sanctions to ban them from landing on all occasions – rather than the technicalities of health and safety which had been used up until now.
On the 8th March the UK and US simultaneously announced bans on Russian oil imports. With the EU also announcing it will cut imports by two thirds. Imports to the UK will end by the end of this year.
Refugees
I appreciate the efforts the Government have made regarding refugees. However, the government must act more decisively, effectively and faster to offer sanctuary to Ukrainian refugees. On 28th Febraury I signed a letter with colleagues urging the Government to do this: https://www.stephenhammond.net/news/my-statement-russian-invasion-ukraine.
I believed that the Government should have sped up the access to the sponsorship routes already announced.
I am pleased that UK Government has suspended biometric checks for those with biometric passports and open a humanitarian visa route for those coming from Ukraine. Whilst I understand the security concerns of some within the Home Office and Foreign Office, however, there are ways which we can ensure those fleeing Ukraine are offered safe haven and the UK’s national security is protected.
By opening a new humanitarian route visa requirement, we can carry out security checks as refugees arrive and should there be any Russian agents attempting to enter the UK they would be caught at this stage and dealt with appropriately.
The UK has a proud record of taking vulnerable refugees straight from crisis zones, such as Syria. We should deploy this expertise without delay to protect the people of Ukraine and offer the most vulnerable safe haven in the UK until it is safe for them to return home.
The Homes for Ukraine scheme, which I have signed up for, will allow individuals and organisations in the UK to offer their homes to those fleeing the war. In the first phase of the scheme, sponsors will need to have a named person who they wish to sponsor. This could be a friend, or friend of friend, someone they are already connected with, or it could be someone they have been linked with by a charity, faith group or other organisation.
More information can be found here: https://homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk/
The Government will be providing funding of £10,500 per person to local authorities, with an additional top-up for child education, to enable them to provide much wider support to families to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities.
Finally, I am delighted that my friend and former colleague Richard Harrington has been given the task to coordinate and accelerate the Government’s response as Minister for Refugees.
Aid
The Government has provided £400 million in economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine as well as £500 million in multilateral financial guarantees.
On 14th March the Government pledged to donate more than 500 mobile generators to help keep the lights on in Ukraine, these were directly requested by President Zelenskyy and could provide enough power for up to 20,000 homes.
The Government had already pledged an additional £80 million to support Ukraine through the humanitarian crisis the Russian invasion is causing. This brings total UK support to £220 million, £120 million of which is specifically for humanitarian aid.
I am pleased that the Home Secretary announced yesterday that the criteria for British Nationals and UK residents to bring family members to the UK has been expanded to include adult parents, grandparents, children over 18, siblings, and all of their immediate family members. Something I had been calling for with colleagues in Parliament.
Those who come to the UK will be granted leave to remain for at least 12 months and be able to work and access public funds.
Violent and barbaric acts from the Russian military against civilians are creating an increasingly catastrophic environment, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee into neighbouring countries.
The generosity shown by people across South West London has been inspiring in recent days and I provide links to local and national organisations doing good work below, starting with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) which has launched its Ukraine appeal, and every pound donated by the British people will be matched by the Government, starting with £20 million. Over £100m was donated to the DEC’s Ukraine appeal in its first four days.
I provide some useful links here:
Disasters Emergency Committee: https://www.dec.org.uk/
White Eagle Club Balham: https://www.facebook.com/kluborlabialego/
Dons Local Action Group: https://twitter.com/donslocalaction
Red Cross: https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal
And Polish Family Association: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-for-ukraine
I have also included below the text of a letter I received from Rt Hon Michael Gove MP relating to the most recent measures taken.
Letter from Michael Gove text:
Dear Colleague,
Humanitarian crisis in Ukraine
As a result of Putin’s devastating, indefensible invasion, we are now facing the greatest crisis in Europe since the end of the Second World War. This Government is determined to do what we can to help those fleeing heart-breaking scenes that we never thought to see again on the Continent.
The British people have recognised just how perilous this moment is and the stories of defiance and bravery in the face of a tyrant has prompted a tidal wave of generosity that has swept across the country since war broke out just over three weeks ago. I know that you are ready to support the national effort needed and your support will, as ever, be critical in responding to this crisis.
‘Homes for Ukraine’
The Government has already put in place a rigorous sanctions regime targeted at the property and assets of those supporting the Putin regime and expanded the Family Sponsorship scheme. We want to go further; so today I am announcing a new UK-wide sponsorship scheme, ‘Homes for Ukraine’.
This scheme, developed with my colleagues in the Home Office, will allow people seeking sanctuary with no family ties to the UK to be sponsored by individuals or organisations who can offer them a home, such as a spare room or unoccupied residential self-contained unit. The scheme will be uncapped, open to Ukrainian nationals (and immediate family members of Ukrainian nationals). Those arriving through this scheme will be able to live and work in the UK for up to three years and also access benefits, healthcare, and other support. Our aim, through this route, is to offer a safe, warm welcome to as many arrivals as possible, based on the number of sponsors.
Sponsor requirements
Sponsors can be of any nationality, with any immigration status, provided they have at least six months’ leave to remain within the UK. In the first phase of the scheme, sponsors will need to have a named person who they wish to sponsor. This could be a friend, or friend of friend, someone they are already connected with, or it could be someone they have been linked with by a charity, faith group or other organisation. The visa application route will go live on Friday 18 March.
We are asking that sponsors provide accommodation for a minimum of six months. We appreciate people’s generosity and know there will be costs associated with helping out – so we are offering an optional ‘thank you’ payment of £350 per month to people for up to 12 months. This thank you payment is limited to one payment per residential address. Sponsors should not charge rent. They will not be expected to cover the costs of food and living expenses, although they may wish to offer this philanthropically.
We want to minimise bureaucracy and make the process as straightforward as possible while ensuring the safety of all involved. Those arriving will therefore need to meet standard security checks. Those living in the sponsoring households will also be subject to security checks and may be subject to safeguarding checks too.
Launch of Expression of Interest Webpage
Any individual, charity, community group and business across the country can record their interest on a webpage going live today - www.gov.uk/homes-for-ukraine. They will receive updates and more information on how to apply once the scheme launches. Then on Friday 18 March, Phase One of the visa application route will open for sponsors and named contacts to apply to the scheme.
Over time, we expect to see the scheme develop further to allow charities, faith groups, community groups and other organisations to act as sponsors.
Local Authority Support
I know local councils will want to play their part in supporting people who have been through so much to feel at home in the UK, in addition to the already significant work they are doing to support those who have arrived from Afghanistan and Hong Kong. We are committed to working with them to achieve this and on efforts to provide a full wraparound service that also encompasses sponsors. As such, we will be providing substantial level of funding at a rate of £10,500 per person to local authorities, with an additional top-up for child education, to enable them to provide much wider support to families to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities.
Our country has a long and proud history of supporting the most vulnerable during their darkest hour. We are doing so again with Homes for Ukraine. Thank you for your support with this vital national effort.
ENDS.
Defence
The UK has contributed large amounts of defensive aid to Ukraine so it can defend itself from the Russian invasion. Before the invasion, Britain delivered 2,000 light anti-tank missiles and is now sending another 1,615. We have been joined in this by numerous allies including Germany which has reversed its policy of not supplying lethal aid due to Russian aggression and has send over 1000 anti-tank weapons.
In terms of UK Defence spending, I am proud that as a nation we exceed our NATO defence spending commitment of 2 per cent of GDP per year. The UK is Europe’s largest contributor to NATO, spending more in cash terms than any other member, save the US, on defence. As you may be aware, in November 2020, the Prime Minister announced the largest UK military spending increase in the last 30 years, representing an extra £24.1billion over the subsequent four years. This investment is funding a generational modernisation of the Armed Forces so they can defend the UK against future threats. Further, the Integrated Review, published in July 2021, recognised that Russia remains the most acute threat to our security in the Euro-Atlantic region.
However, I am sure that, in light of the ongoing crisis, my ministerial colleagues in the Ministry of Defence and across Government are considering whether the threats we face have changed and whether more or personnel money is required. It is important to recognise that this is a defining moment for ourselves, Europe and the world and in light of this we reassess quickly and thoroughly our security needs.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me on this important matter. I attach a link here to my most recent update on the situation in Ukraine: https://www.stephenhammond.net/news/my-statement-russian-invasion-ukraine
Minister's Letter - Homes for Ukraine Scheme:
I am aware of a number of problems with the scheme's application process and I have contacted the Ministerial Team about them this morning.
16th March 2022:
Homes for Ukraine Scheme:
Sally and I have registered for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme this morning and will be happy to welcome a Ukrainian refugee into our home. I encourage everyone who can to register for the scheme here: https://homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk/
I have started a list of local volunteers to support those who come to the UK, so please get in touch if you can offer help locally.
Ukrainian MPs in Parliament:
I was honoured to meet with four Ukrainian MPs, Lesia Vasylenko, Alyona Shkrum, Maria Mezentseva, and Olena Khomenko, today in Parliament to hear their first hand experiences of the Russian invasion and the impact on their constituencies. 
10th March 2022:
Refugees:
I welcome the announcement made by the Home Secretary today that Ukrainians with passports will no longer need to attend a visa application centre and give their biometrics before they come to the UK. This is something I had called for in my statement earlier this week.
Those with passports who have made an application to seek refuge in the UK will be able to do so fully online and will be able to give their biometrics once they are in the UK. This is a welcome change, particularly as it will allow those visa centres in Europe to concentrate on supporting those Ukrainians without passports.
We must focus on ensuring those who want to seek refuge in the UK are able to do so and we remove unnecessary administrative barriers to sanctuary. The Government’s visa centres in Europe need greater support from the Home Office so they can open for longer hours and provide more support for those fleeing Putin’s brutal war of aggression.
Tuesday 8th March:
Refugees:
I appreciate the efforts the Government have made regarding refugees. However, the current arrangements do not go far enough, and the government must act more decisively, effectively and faster to offer sanctuary to Ukrainian refugees. Last week I signed a letter with colleagues urging the Government to do this: https://www.stephenhammond.net/news/my-statement-russian-invasion-ukraine.
I believe that the Government should speed up the access to the sponsorship routes announced last week.
The UK Government should suspend biometric checks for those with biometric passports and open a humanitarian visa route for those coming from Ukraine. Whilst I understand the security concerns of some within the Home Office and Foreign Office, however, there are ways which we can ensure those fleeing Ukraine are offered safe haven and the UK’s national security is protected. By opening a new humanitarian route visa requirement, we could carry out security checks as refugees arrive and should there be any Russian agents attempting to enter the UK they would be caught at this stage and dealt with appropriately.
Those coming to the UK presently need to supply their biometric identification documents and undergo a confirmation of identify. This is causing undue delays to the process and suspending these checks for those with biometric passports could be an important step in supporting those fleeing the conflict.
The UK has a proud record of taking vulnerable refugees straight from crisis zones, such as Syria. We should deploy this expertise without delay to protect the people of Ukraine and offer the most vulnerable safe haven in the UK until it is safe for them to return home.
Finally I am delighted that today my friend and former colleague Richard Harrington has been given the task to coordinate and accelerate the Government’s response as Minister for Refugees.
Sanctions:
The UK Government has instigated a targeted and flexible regime of sanctions against those who have supported Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Government is committed to extend sanctions as widely and deeply as necessary. The UK has applied £259bn of sanctions compared to £240bn by the US and £34bn by the EU. This is because the UK has frozen the assets of the largest Russian banks, 11 have been sanctioned by the UK so far including the Russian Central Bank and Sovereign Wealth Fund. I hope that this will be followed by other countries.
Whilst the Government has only sanctioned 16 new people following the invasion of Ukraine. Since 2014 we sanctioned those involved in the illegal annexation of Crimea, vast swathes of the Russian Military, and a wide range of Russian industrialists. This amounts to around 260 people and has expanded since 2014 to include the those on the Magnitsky sanctions list following the Novichok attack in Salisbury.
The Economic Crime Bill which passed all of its Commons stages on Monday night also contains a number of measures to ensure that the ownership of property will become more transparent and less susceptible to fraud and exploitation. Today I spoke to the Government to urge them to use the existing powers of the Land Registry to place restrictions on property owned by Russian oligarchs and companies.
The Bill also gives the Government protection from legal redress when sanctioning individuals and seizing assets, which should make it easier to pursue oligarchs and their wealth. The Bill has also enabled the Government to use class exemptions, which means it is now possible to sanction the whole of the Duma, for example.
UK and EU airspace is closed to Russian aircraft and Russian shipping cannot dock in British ports. The Government has banned the import of Russian oil, by the end of 2022.
We have also introduced new aviation sanctions and we now have the power to ban Russian planes from landing on UK soil on all occasions, formalising the action we took taken sanctions to ban them from landing on all occasions – rather than the technicalities of health and safety which had been used up until now.
This afternoon the UK and US simultaneously announced bans on Russian oil imports. Imports to the UK will end by the end of this year. The EU also announced it will cut imports by two thirds.
Wednesday 2nd March:
Aid:
The Government has pledged an additional £80 million to support Ukraine through the humanitarian crisis the Russian invasion is causing. This brings total UK support to £220 million, £120 million of which is specifically for humanitarian aid.
I am pleased that the Home Secretary announced yesterday that the criteria for British Nationals and UK residents to bring family members to the UK has been expanded to include adult parents, grandparents, children over 18, siblings, and all of their immediate family members. Something I had been calling for with colleagues in Parliament.
Those who come to the UK will be granted leave to remain for at least 12 months and be able to work and access public funds.
Violent and barbaric acts from the Russian military against civilians are creating an increasingly catastrophic environment, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee into neighbouring countries.
The generosity shown by people across South West London has been inspiring in recent days and I provide links to local and national organisations doing good work below, starting with the Disasters Emergency Committee which has launched its Ukraine appeal, and every pound donated by the British people will be matched by the Government, starting with £20 million:
Disasters Emergency Committee: https://www.dec.org.uk/
White Eagle Club Balham: https://www.facebook.com/kluborlabialego/
Dons Local Action Group: https://twitter.com/donslocalaction
Red Cross: https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal
And Polish Family Association: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-for-ukraine
Tuesday 1st March:
Sanctions:
The UK has, in partnership with our allies, put in place the largest package of sanctions in our history. These are aimed not only at the Russian state but also at the highest echelons of the Russian society, targeting President Putin personally and those complicit in his aggression including the Russian Foreign Minister. I am pleased the UK is leading the world in formulating and implementing economic sanctions. I am pleased the Government has been upfront that we must be ready to accept some short-term pain for long-term gain.
Please see below a list the sanctions which have been announced so far in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- The Government have announced the strongest set of economic sanctions ever imposed. These cover new financial powers to isolate Russian entities from international finance and exclude them from the UK financial system as well as new trade export controls to prevent key goods and technologies from being exported to Russia. Both of these measures will become law on Tuesday 1 March. The UK will be placing further asset freezes on more Russian banks this week.
- The Government is determined to target Russia’s political elite and cracking down on dirty money at home. There will be nowhere left to hide. These comprise new sanctions on individual elites, including Putin himself. We will target members of the Russian Duma and Federal Council who voted to recognise Ukraine’s separatist regions, and last week we shut down the Tier 1 Investor Visa with immediate effect.
- The UK is leading by example. We were the first to act by banning the Russian flag carrier airline, Aeroflot, from the UK. The EU has now followed our lead in expanding the scope of the sanctions regime to hit more Russian oligarchs and businesses. We excluded Russian occupied territory from our trade deal with Ukraine. We acted first against Belarus.
- Working with G7 partners, we will impose restrictive measures that will prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves to support their economy and currency.
- Together with our international partners we will also launch a G7 task force that will ensure the effective implementation of our financial sanctions by identifying and freezing the assets of sanctioned individuals and companies that exist within our jurisdictions.
- Major Russian banks will be removed from the SWIFT messaging system. This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally, as a first step towards a total SWIFT ban.
- The UK has been very clear that we see this as the first step, we will continue to push for full blocking of SWIFT and will move forward with asset freezing all Russian banks. I believe we should see a full ban on Russian access to SWIFT.
The Government’s actions are working. $250bn has been wiped off the Russian stock market, and the rouble has reached record lows against the dollar and sterling. We will continue to impose a severe cost on Putin and his regime until he ends this unprovoked and illegal invasion.
I will be posting an update regarding aid for Ukraine and Ukrainians tomorrow.
Monday 28th February:
Visas for family members and refugees:
The UN Refugee agency has reported the number leaving Ukraine has reached 368 000 and could reach 4 million. Poland has reported 156 000 Ukrainians have now crossed its border.
The Government has so far committed to waiving visa requirements for those with immediate family in the UK and The Defence Secretary was clear this morning that the announcements about UK visas already made for Ukrainians were only "the first step" in our package of support. He is right, this is only a first step, and we must go further and act jointly with other European countries and share responsibility with them. We need to act now, and we need to act decisively.
I urge the UK government to provide as much support as possible to our European partners who are currently the first safe havens for Ukrainian refugees, namely Poland, Moldova, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. I also hope our Ministers will seek a flexible and pragmatic approach to those Ukrainians wishing to seek temporary refuge in the UK until it is safe to return to their lives in their home country.
I have joined with several other colleagues asking the Prime Minister to provide more support for European partners who are currently the first safe havens and institute a flexible regime for those seeking temporary refuge in the UK. I attach a copy of the letter here:
It is clear that this is not another migration crisis; this is a crisis of war. This should not be business as usual; we need sincere and immediate support for the Ukrainian people. The United Kingdom cannot flag or fail, our message must be clear: Ukrainian victims of war seeking refuge are welcome.
I look forward to further measures being announced and call on the Government to set these out as soon as possible, to ensure those fleeing to join family members or fleeing with nowhere else to go can safely make it to the UK and be sure they are welcome here.
Military Situation:
The Ukrainian people have made huge sacrifices in their stand against Putin’s aggression. Whilst I know we all welcome the ceasefire talks taking place on Monday 28th February Putin has not acted rationally so far in this crisis and we cannot be sure he will do so going forward. I am pleased we are continuing to supply defensive weaponry to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and pay tribute to President Zelensky for his unwavering commitment to Ukrainian security and European security.
Russian forces are making slow progress in their advance across Ukraine, but we must continue to support the Ukraine, its people, and its armed forces as they fight to preserve their free democratic statehood.
Supporting Ukrainians:
There are a number of ways which we can support those remaining in Ukraine or who have been forced to flee their homes.
Donations can be made to those in Ukraine via the Red Cross: https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal
Donations to Ukrainian refugees in Poland can be made to the Dons Local Action Group (https://twitter.com/donslocalaction) who are working closely with the Polish Family Association (https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-for-ukraine) and other local organisations including the White Eagle Club in Balham (https://www.facebook.com/kluborlabialego/).
The Government has introduced new sanctions today and I will be providing an update on these tomorrow.
25th February 2022:
I am appalled at the aggressive invasion of the sovereign country of Ukraine. I am pleased that the UK and our allies tried every diplomatic until the final hour. It is now clear that Putin was always determined to attack his neighbour, no matter what the international community tried. The world can now see him for what he is: an aggressor in an illegal war who believes in imperial conquest.
The dictatorial leaders of the world will be watching the developments as closely as we are, and a strong response to Russia is vital to protect not only Ukraine but also other countries including the Central Asian Republics, Georgia, Armenia, South Korea, Taiwan and Nepal. We must stand by our commitment to our allies and be clear that our commitment to Article 5 on NATO collective defence is unshakable. If we do not take concrete action now, Putin and other dictators across the world will be emboldened, and even more free countries will be at risk.
I welcome the actions announced by the Prime Minister to exclude Russian banks from clearing in sterling and dollars, asset freezes, and other economic sanctions against oligarchs. However I believe the international community should remove Russia from SWIFT and NATO should put in place all possible preventative measures to ensure any further aggression towards free countries is frustrated.
Britain’s power is in our ability to build alliances and work with partners. We must play our full part in sanctions against Russia. This means depriving Putin and his cronies of the money they have stolen from the Russian people. Putin has taken the wealth of a great nation and ferreted it away abroad, hidden in a web of fraud. That money should be paying for the healthcare and education of the Russian people but has instead been spent on expensive shopping trips and so it is disappointing that some of our European allies have lobbied for luxury goods and diamonds to be excluded from sanctions. Putin’s oligarchs have spread their money across Europe and the West, we must ensure our authorities have the powers they need to stop illicit finance in its tracks.
We must be clear and honest, sanctions on Russia will economically impact the UK too and we must be prepared to support those hit hardest by this. This war will affect us in the UK in so many ways – food and energy prices will undoubtedly rise.
A humanitarian crisis is now sadly inevitable. The images of people fleeing their homes to save their families are heart-breaking. Nobody leaves their home through choice; it is a last resort when there is no other option. They will need safe places to stay, possibly many miles from their own homes.
Let us be clear that this is Putin’s war and we do not seek to demonise all of the Russian people. President Putin is hurling the might of his military machine against a free, peaceful, and democratic neighbour, in breach of his own explicit pledge and every principle of civilised behaviour between states, spurning the best efforts of this country and our allies to avoid bloodshed. For that, he stands condemned in the eyes of the world and of history. He will never be able to cleanse the blood of Ukraine from his hands.
At a scale we have not seen since 1945, Europe is at war. Not a civil war, or a border dispute, but the invasion of a sovereign state by a foreign army. We cannot stand by and watch Putin succeed. The Prime Minister was right when he said that this aggression must be seen to fail. Ukraine is a sovereign democratic state; it needs and deserves our support. What happens there will have a lasting impact on our lives here. We must do all we can, and nothing must be off the table.
I attach a link to the Prime Minister’s statement to the House of Commons on 24th February here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-02-24/debates/A76282B2-C1F4-4D00-B5E8-A8A0F2476FBB/Ukraine