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Category: Attack on Ukraine

  • Duncan Baker – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Providing Generators to Ukraine

    Duncan Baker – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Providing Generators to Ukraine

    The parliamentary question asked by Duncan Baker, the Conservative MP for North Norfolk, in the House of Commons on 16 November 2022.

    Duncan Baker (North Norfolk) (Con)

    On Friday night, I and a small group of my friends made the 2,000-mile trip to Ukraine. We crossed the Polish border and the Ukrainian border, then entered Lviv to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to suffering families. That was not the only precious cargo on board, because we took with us, after 222 days of their living with my family, the mother and little boy who have been living at home with me in North Norfolk, and reunited them, together, in what were the most remarkable, humbling and emotional scenes I will probably ever see.

    Of the aid delivered, the generators that the people of North Norfolk were able to get on to the van were incredibly well received. Those generators are not available in Poland any more, so may we have some sort of national push to try to get generators to the people of Ukraine? To bring it home, Secretary of State, last night the father of the little boy whom my wife and family are looking after spent the night in Lviv after missile strikes with no energy, no water and no heating. This is affecting civilians and people I can now proudly say are part of my family.

    James Cleverly

    First, I commend my hon. Friend for the generosity he has displayed in hosting a Ukrainian family in wonderful North Norfolk, which is a part of the country I know well. It is a privilege to serve alongside him on these green Benches. I know that a number of Members from all parties have done likewise, and that is to their credit.

    My hon. Friend’s story is incredibly moving and he is absolutely right that behind the statistics, facts and numbers are people. We have to ensure that, on their behalf, we stick with it and maintain our willingness to do what is right. Even though we in the UK will go through difficult times this winter domestically, our difficulties pale into insignificance compared with the difficulties faced by people right across Ukraine, not just in the east and south where the land conflict is ongoing. We of course have a duty to help and support people who are here in the UK, but while doing so we also have a duty to help and support the brave people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against the brutal, illegal and unjustified invasion of their homeland by Russia.

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Missile Attack on Poland

    Bernard Jenkin – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Missile Attack on Poland

    The parliamentary question asked by Sir Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex, in the House of Commons on 16 November 2022.

    Sir Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) (Con)

    I thank my right hon. Friend for making it so clear that it is irrelevant whose missile it was and that the state of affairs is the responsibility of the aggressor: Putin’s Russia. In that context, can he use this incident to amplify to our allies in Europe, and to some of our colleagues in the Government, that Putin’s Russia is not just at war in Ukraine, but at war with us? His hybrid campaign—cyber-attacks, assassinations, sabotage of critical national infrastructure in European countries and, of course, the energy war—is against us. Unless we defeat Russia in the war in Ukraine, it will be a defeat for the west. Therefore, we must galvanise ourselves and put ourselves on the right footing and in the right frame of mind to ensure that the Ukrainian people prevail.

    James Cleverly

    My hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point about the multiple things that are at stake in this conflict. We have seen military lives lost, civilian lives lost and, sadly, in ground that has been ceded by the Russian military, what appears to be evidence of widespread and systematic human rights abuses. Those are the things that we are defending against, but in addition, we are defending the UN charter and the concept of adherence to international law. As he rightly said, we in the UK have been the recipients of cyber-attacks and attacks on our homeland that we have attributed to Vladimir Putin and the Russian regime. All those things are at stake all at once. We have to defend ourselves against the full range of threats, and he is absolutely right to highlight that.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2022 Speech on the Missile Incident in Poland

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2022 Speech on the Missile Incident in Poland

    The speech made by Jeremy Corbyn, the Independent MP for Islington North, in the House of Commons on 16 November 2022.

    Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) (Ind)

    I thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement. We all, obviously and correctly, totally condemn the Russian invasion, the war against Ukraine and the illegal occupation, as we condemn illegal occupations everywhere else. Possibly more than 200,000 people have already died in this conflict, and with the current trajectory, tragically, there are going to be many more deaths of Ukrainians and, indeed, Russian conscripts. There are going to be devastated families all around.

    I hear everything that the Foreign Secretary has said, but he did not say anything about the possible role of the United Nations or any other world body in trying to bring about a process that could at least halt this conflict, restore the status quo in terms of land areas, and try to bring about an early end to this war. Otherwise, we are going to have hundreds of thousands more dead as a result of what is, of course, the totally wrong occupation of Ukraine.

    James Cleverly

    I remind the right hon. Gentleman that calls for halting the war were not emanating from Moscow when the Russians felt that they were on the front foot. They were not calling to halt the war when those tanks were surrounding Kyiv; nor were they calling to halt the war when they thought that President Zelensky’s Government would collapse. I find it interesting that calls to halt the war are coming from certain places now that Russia is on the back foot and losing territory in the east and south of Ukraine.

    It is important to make the point that ceasing a conflict is not in itself a neutral act. The Ukrainians have been attacked and murdered, their cities damaged, and their critical national infrastructure put beyond use. It is incredibly important that the message is sent—both to President Putin and to other potential aggressors around the world—that those who start conflicts such as this have to be prepared for the consequences of the nation defending itself and its friends around the world helping it to do so.

    Ultimately, of course, we want this war to come to an end. We would prefer for it to come to an end quickly, but it has to come to an end on terms that are acceptable to the Ukrainian people, and only the Ukrainian people can decide when that time is.

  • Alyn Smith – 2022 Speech on the Missile Incident in Poland

    Alyn Smith – 2022 Speech on the Missile Incident in Poland

    The speech made by Alyn Smith, the SNP MP for Stirling, in the House of Commons on 16 November 2022.

    I also thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement, and commend him for its welcome, measured tone. Speaking for the SNP, I also express our total solidarity with, and condolences to, the people of Poland, and commend them for their restraint overnight—I think a lot of us did not get much sleep last night, as we were contemplating what might be the consequences of this incident. If this was a tragic accident, it was a tragic accident, but as the Foreign Secretary rightly says, it is the Ukrainians who are on the frontline, and have been for many months. The responsibility for the fact that rockets are flying at all sits entirely at the door of Vladimir Putin, and the SNP stands four-square as part of the global coalition in Ukraine’s defence.

    Sadly, the Kremlin’s tactics in Syria surely tell us that this is going to continue, if not get worse: as we see land advances by the Ukrainian forces, we will see more indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure by air. As such, what assessment has the Foreign Secretary made of the need for further air support, not just for Ukraine but for neighbouring countries? I appreciate that 1,000 or so missiles have already been given, but what more do we need, and is it now time to be talking about a no-fly zone over Ukraine and neighbouring countries to deter—to the extent we can—further Russian aggression?

    James Cleverly

    I would also like to put on record my recognition of the fact that right across the House, including from the SNP Benches, we have had a unanimity of voice on the world stage. If Vladimir Putin felt that his aggression in Ukraine could in any way drive wedges between people who are like-minded on these issues, he was wrong. That is true in this House, and it is true on the international stage.

    I thank the hon. Member for the points he has made. He has made an incredibly important point about the evolving threat. As I said in my response to my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest East (Dr Lewis), it is now clear that as Russia sees failures on the battlefield, it is moving to attacks from the air. We have provided surface-to-air defence missile systems and AMRAAM air-to-air defence missile systems. We will be looking at further air defence donations that can come from the international community and also, importantly, making sure there is integration in the air defence cover that Ukraine is able to provide. We know what Putin intends to do—as I have said, he intends to starve and freeze the Ukrainians into submission—and we have to stand shoulder to shoulder with them in order to prevent him from doing so.

  • David Lammy – 2022 Speech on the Missile Incident in Poland

    David Lammy – 2022 Speech on the Missile Incident in Poland

    The speech made by David Lammy, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, in the House of Commons on 16 November 2022.

    I thank the Foreign Secretary for advance sight of his statement. I am grateful for the direct communications that we had on this matter on Privy Council terms last night.

    This was a serious incident that led to a tragic loss of life. I join the whole House in sending condolences to the families of those killed, and I expressed them directly to the Polish ambassador last night.

    Poland and NATO allies deserve praise for taking the correct steps to assess this incident carefully and avoid escalation. It is right that we continue to proceed with cool heads to determine exactly what has taken place and work in lockstep with Poland and our NATO allies.

    As my right hon. Friend the shadow Defence Secretary and I restated on our visits to NATO headquarters in Brussels last week, Labour’s commitment to NATO is unshakeable. We also note, as the Foreign Secretary did, the NATO Secretary-General’s words earlier today. He said:

    “Russia bears ultimate responsibility as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine.”

    This incident highlights the sheer recklessness of Putin’s war and the ongoing need to guard against miscalculation and deter aggression. Yesterday saw one of the largest barrages of missiles against Ukraine since the war began, cruelly targeting civilian infrastructure as the winter approaches. Ukraine will continue to have our total support and complete solidarity in its brave fight against Russian aggression. It is right that we play our full part in strengthening Ukraine’s air defence capacity.

    As the world gathered in Bali with an agenda to address common problems, one leader did not show, instead hiding from scrutiny and condemnation. Putin’s warmongering is being met with ever greater isolation. On Monday, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution calling for Russia to be held accountable for invading Ukraine, and recognising the need for

    “an international mechanism for reparation for damage, loss or injury”

    caused by Putin’s wrongful acts. Labour stands with the international community in demanding that Russia is held accountable. Her actions are bringing death and destruction in Ukraine, and economic pain for the whole world. The numbers in the latest UN vote are proof that more needs to be done to build and sustain global opposition to Putin’s barbaric war. What strategy have the Government put in place to strengthen opposition to the invasion, particularly across the global south?

    The result of this war will depend on who has more endurance: Putin’s Russia, or Ukraine and its supporters around the world. Labour stands fully committed to work in support of Ukraine until it wins its freedom—that is what must happen.

    James Cleverly

    I find myself in complete agreement with the shadow Foreign Secretary. It is absolutely right that we stand in solidarity with our allies—our formal allies in NATO, and also the Ukrainian people as they defend themselves. He speaks about endurance; I have spoken in the past about the need for strategic endurance, recognising that we must send the message to not just Vladimir Putin, but every other potential aggressor around the world, that we will defend the UN charter, international humanitarian law and the right of territorial integrity until the job is done. We must maintain that strategic endurance.

    The shadow Foreign Secretary is absolutely right to ask about support for the international coalition that has condemned Russia’s actions. Some 141 countries voted for the resolution at the UN General Assembly at the start of the conflict, and 143 voted to condemn the illegal annexation of the eastern and southern oblasts in Ukraine. However, that coalition needs to be supported. I and the Ministers and officials within the Department regularly engage with countries in the global south that are worried about food security, fuel security and the availability of fertiliser. We have worked in conjunction with our international allies, particularly Turkey, to ensure that the Black sea grain initiative is supported. We hope that that initiative will be extended, and we are lobbying for that extension to occur so that Vladimir Putin cannot use hunger or the fear of hunger as leverage to support his illegal attempted invasion of Ukraine.

  • James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on the Missile Incident in Poland

    James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on the Missile Incident in Poland

    The statement made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, in the House of Commons on 16 November 2022.

    With your permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement about the missile strike in Poland overnight.

    At approximately 7 pm local time last night, there were missile explosions in a village in eastern Poland, approximately four miles from the border with Ukraine, killing two civilians and wounding four, during an extended Russian bombardment of Ukrainian territory.

    As soon as I received the report, I contacted my Polish counterpart to express the sympathy and solidarity of the United Kingdom—I am sure the whole House will share that sentiment—and to offer our practical support. I then spoke to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in a trilateral call with my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary, while the Prime Minister was attending the G20 summit in Indonesia.

    The Prime Minister immediately called President Duda of Poland to convey the UK’s condolences for the tragic loss of civilian life and to assure him of our unwavering support to a steadfast NATO ally. My right hon. Friend then spoke to President Zelensky about the latest situation and also attended an ad hoc meeting of G7 leaders called by President Biden to discuss the evolving situation.

    This morning, I spoke to the Polish Foreign Minister and I commended Poland’s decisive, determined, but calm and professional response to the situation. It is wise to advise the House that, at this point, the full details of the incident are not complete, but, earlier today, Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary-General, said there was

    “no indication that this was the result of a deliberate attack”.

    He added that the incident was

    “likely caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile fired to defend Ukrainian territory against Russian cruise missile attacks.”

    Poland will lead the investigation to establish exactly what happened, and the UK stands ready to provide any practical or technical assistance. In the meantime, we will not rush to judgment; our response will always be led by the facts.

    The House should be in no doubt that the only reason why missiles are flying through European skies and exploding in European villages is Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine. Secretary-General Stoltenberg was absolutely right when he said today that what occurred in Poland is “not Ukraine’s fault” and that “Russia bears ultimate responsibility”.

    Yesterday, Putin launched one of the heaviest attacks since the war began, firing wave upon wave of more than 80 missiles at Ukrainian cities, obliterating the homes of ordinary families, destroying critical national infrastructure and depriving millions of Ukrainians of power and heat just as the winter sets in. This brutal air campaign is Putin’s revenge for Ukraine’s successes on the battlefield, where Russian forces have been expelled from thousands of square miles of territory. Now he is trying to terrorise the people of Ukraine and break their will by leaving them shivering in cold and darkness. I have no doubt that he will be unsuccessful in that endeavour, but this is why Britain is helping Ukraine to strengthen its air defences, and we have provided more than 1,000 surface-to-air missiles thus far. I know that the House will be united in our support for Ukraine’s right to defend her territory and her people.

    On Monday, I signed a memorandum of understanding as part of our £10 million commitment to help Ukraine rebuild its critical energy infrastructure. The tragic incident in Poland last night is ultimately the result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. That is the only reason why it has happened, and it would not have happened otherwise. That is why the UK and our allies stand in solidarity with Poland, and that is why we are determined to support the people of Ukraine until they prevail and their country is once again free. Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend this statement to the House.

  • James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on MH17 Trial Verdict

    James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on MH17 Trial Verdict

    The statement made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, on 17 November 2022.

    Today’s guilty verdict, convicting 3 individuals of murder in relation to the downing of MH17, is an important step in securing justice for the families of the victims.

    Two hundred and ninety eight lives, including those of 10 British nationals, were tragically lost on 17 July 2014. Thousands more have been devastated in the years since, as family and friends continue to grieve for their loved ones.

    The downing of MH17 was a shocking violation of international norms which keep our societies safe. It serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of Russia’s actions in Ukraine over many years.

    My thoughts remain with the families of all those killed in this heinous attack, including people from the Netherlands, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Belgium, Germany, the Philippines, New Zealand and Canada.

  • Angela Rayner – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Russia Attacking Ukrainian Infrastructure

    Angela Rayner – 2022 Parliamentary Question on Russia Attacking Ukrainian Infrastructure

    The parliamentary question asked by Angela Rayner, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, in the House of Commons on 16 November 2022.

    I join the Deputy Prime Minister in his remarks regarding the Sikh community and, most importantly, the incident in Poland last night. I know that the whole House stands united in our support for the Ukrainian people and sends condolences for the tragic loss of life. Britain has an unshakeable commitment to NATO and our allies, including Poland. The Government have rightly requested that we establish the facts and avoid unhelpful speculation, so I understand that the Deputy Prime Minister might not be able to go further today, but does he agree that, last night’s events aside, the fact that Russia is launching missile attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure while world leaders meet shows the utter contempt that Putin has for international order?

    The Deputy Prime Minister

    I thank the right hon. Lady. I entirely agree with what she said. President Putin started this war, and whatever determination is made in relation to the events yesterday, they result whether directly or indirectly from the unlawful aggression perpetrated by the Russian Government. That is why the Prime Minister is out at the G20 rallying support, making sure that we wean ourselves off energy dependence on Russia, and making sure that our energy supply is from other parts of the world. I agree 100% with what the right hon. Lady said.

  • Jens Stoltenberg – 2022 Statement on the Attack on Poland

    Jens Stoltenberg – 2022 Statement on the Attack on Poland

    The statement made by Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary General, on 16 November 2022.

    Good afternoon.
    We have just finished a meeting of the North Atlantic Council.
    We addressed yesterday’s explosion in the east of Poland, on the border with Ukraine.

    Our top military commander General Cavoli briefed Allies.
    And the Polish ambassador updated us on the incident, and the ongoing investigation.

    Yesterday’s explosion took place as Russia launched a massive wave of rocket attacks across Ukraine.
    Since the start of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, NATO has increased vigilance across our eastern flank.
    And we are monitoring the situation on a continuous basis.

    An investigation into this incident is ongoing, and we need to await its outcome.
    But we have no indication that this was the result of a deliberate attack.
    And we have no indication that Russia is preparing offensive military actions against NATO.

    Our preliminary analysis suggests that the incident was likely caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile fired to defend Ukrainian territory against Russian cruise missile attacks.

    But let me be clear.
    This is not Ukraine’s fault.
    Russia bears ultimate responsibility, as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine.

    In the meeting today, NATO Allies offered their deepest condolences on the tragic loss of life.
    They expressed their strong solidarity with our valued Ally Poland.
    And made clear that we will continue to support Ukraine in its right to self-defence.

    Russia must stop this senseless war.

    Last night, I spoke with the Polish President Andrzej Duda and with US President Joe Biden.
    We agreed that we need to stay vigilant, calm and closely coordinated.

    We will continue to consult.
    And monitor the situation very closely.

    NATO stands united.
    And we will always do what is necessary to protect and defend all Allies.

     

    NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:
    And with that I’m ready to take your questions.

    NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu: Polish radio [indaudible]

    Polish Radio:
    Thank you. Polish radio public broadcaster [inaudible]. Secretary General what could be the outcome, concrete, in concrete terms of today’s meeting? Can we expect enhancing the Europe’s air defence; especially in the countries bordering Ukraine because as long as the war continues there will be Russian rockets striking Ukrainian citizen. There is a risk that such situation can happen again, thank you very much.

    NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:
    In the meeting today, NATO Allies expressed their strong support and solidarity with our Ally, Poland. They also expressed their deepest condolences for the tragic loss of life. And NATO has significantly increased its presence in the eastern part of the Alliance, in particular since the invasion of Ukraine in February. With more troops on land, ground troops, but also with significant substantial air and naval power. And this has of course, both increased our air defence capabilities, but also our capabilities to monitor, to have a full picture of what’s going on, on the border between NATO Allies like Poland and Ukraine, and we are constantly assessing what more we need to do. We also have made important decisions at our Summit in Madrid to further strengthen our presence in the eastern part of the Alliance.

    NATO Spokesperson: BBC.

    BBC:
    Thank you, Jessica Parker for BBC News. I just wanted to ask, given the incident that happened last night, do you think this was perhaps the most tense moment for NATO? In this conflict so far? Thank you.

    NATO Secretary General:
    I’m always careful to rank different incidents and situations. It demonstrates that the war in Ukraine, which is President Putin’s responsibility, continues to create dangerous situations. At the same time you have to remember that this happened at the same time as Russia launched a wave of new indiscriminate missile and air attacks on Ukrainian cities. Attacking critical civilian infrastructure, hitting civilian targets. Then it’s nothing strange, then, of course, that is in itself a very dangerous situation. And then, that we then also see that there may be also consequences on NATO territory is a consequence of the war that Russia wages against Ukraine
    NATO Spokesperson: Then we go to the Ukrainian News Agency in the middle.

    Ukrainian News Agency:
    Thank you for the floor, [inaudible] national News Agency of Ukraine. I just want to mention that Ukrainians do understand the pain now of the Polish people and have the greatest sympathy with them. My question is how that incident will be reflected on the assistance that Allies provided for Ukraine in air defence. Where will be some kind of new systems to cover the Ukrainian sky? Thanks.

    NATO Secretary General:
    There will be a meeting today in the Contact Group for Ukraine to coordinate the support that NATO Allies and partners and others are providing to Ukraine. And the main focus of all our efforts over the last month has been on air defence. Especially since Russia started to launch these indiscriminate attacks on Ukrainian cities a few weeks ago. And I welcome that more and more Allies and partners are providing advanced air defence systems to Ukraine. NASAMS, HAWK batteries from Spain and others and I also know that Sweden has made the new announcement of additional support also with air defences to Ukraine. So we are mobilising additional support, especially when it comes to different types of air defences. NATO is also providing counter drones systems. We need many different systems to protect against cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, but also drones. We need a layered defence of Ukraine. That’s exactly what Allies are providing in different ways.

    NATO Spokesperson: Bloomberg.

    Bloomberg:
    Does this incident, will this for more air defence for Allies on the eastern border, I mean you said, there has been a step up since beginning of the war, but does more need to be done? Thank you.

    NATO Secretary General:
    We’re constantly assessing our presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. We have significantly increased our presence on land, at sea and in the air, and that has significantly increased our air defence capabilities, especially in the eastern part of the Alliance. At the same time, we have no indication that this incident was a result of a deliberate attack on NATO territory. And we have no indications that Russia is planning offensive military actions against NATO Allies. I think this demonstrates the dangers connected to the ongoing war in Ukraine. But it hasn’t changed our fundamental assessment of the threat against that NATO Allies. It shows the importance of monitoring, of being vigilant, of the presence, and we made decisions for long term adaptation or NATO’s deterrence and defence at the Summit in Madrid in June, and that includes partly more presence in the east, partly more pre-positioned equipment, in particular in the eastern part of the Alliance and partly earmarked forces, so we can quickly scale up the battle groups we have in the eastern part of the Alliance. And of course all of this will also further strengthen our air defence capabilities. Then air defence is partly land based but air defence is also very often air-based, also aircraft and naval-based, based on our ships, and of course, Air Forces and Naval Forces is something we very quickly move in. SACEUR, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe has already authorities to move in additional forces, including air and naval forces to augment our air defences quickly if needed.

    NATO Spokesperson: Frankfurter Allgemeine.

    FAZ:
    Secretary General, a few factual questions if I may. First of all, the debris found near the border of Poland and Ukraine. Is this debris only from an Ukrainian rocket launched to intercept Russian missile? Or is there also debris of a Russian missile? Secondly, what is what was the likely trajectory of the Russian missile that was meant to intercept by Ukraine? And thirdly, did NATO forces present at the eastern flank, activate their air defence systems yesterday? Because they saw an incoming, potentially incoming, missile? Thank you.

    NATO Secretary General:
    We have air defence systems in place, that are active 24/7, all the time. We have AWACS planes, we have aircraft, we have land based systems and we have naval-based systems. So we have air defences, which operate constantly throughout the Alliance. Then of course, we have a significant focus and in particular increased our presence in the eastern part of the Alliance and this also includes Poland. Then on the details of the findings and the ongoing investigation, it will not be right if I go into those details, but as I said, our preliminary findings are that this is likely caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile, and we have no indication that it wasn’t a deliberate attack on NATO.

    NATO Spokesperson: Politico.
    Thank you very much. Just a brief question. Has there been any communication between NATO and the Russian authorities, even on a technical level over the past 24 hours regarding Russian activity close to NATO’s border? Thank you.

    NATO Secretary General:
    We have major lines of communication, so we’re able to communicate with Russia in different ways as NATO and as Allies, but I cannot go into the details of exactly what kind of a contact there has been over the last 24 hours.

    NATO Spokesperson: Deutsche Welle.

    Deutsche Welle:
    I thank you. Does the fact that the Polish government, even after hours of assessing what had happened was still ready as of this morning, as I understand it, to possibly ask for Article 4 consultations. Does that indicate to you that they do not feel reassured despite all of these measures that have already been taken? And you said that you’re constantly assessing and you’ve got things on tap. Are military planners making any additional plans at this very moment? To send more to Poland to reassure them? Because obviously this is a credible scenario since they had an article four teed up, even after investigations were underway. Thanks.
    NATO Secretary General:
    So I spoke to President Duda last night, we agreed on the importance of waiting the outcome of the investigation. We don’t have the final outcome of the ongoing investigation, but all Allies agree on the assessment I just shared, That we have no indication that this was a deliberate attack and of course that has consequences for what kind of responses that we need to take. Since we have no indication of this was a deliberate attack or that Russia is planning any offensive military actions against NATO Allies. But we’ve also agreed that Russia bears the ultimate responsibility. They are responsible for the war in Ukraine that has caused this situation. And if it hadn’t been for the war, of course, we wouldn’t have been in this situation with the two casualties and the incident we saw in Poland yesterday, But Allies agree on the approach. There’s been no call for an Article 4 meeting. That’s based on the findings, based on the analysis and based on the results so far of the ongoing investigation.
    NATO Spokesperson: Ok, Spiegel.

    Der Spiegel:
    Secretary General, as you said that everything would be done to protect the allies. Now, the village where the missile hit yesterday was very close to the Ukrainian border. So in order to effectively protect Poland, from incidents like these in the future, would it not be conceivable or make sense from your point of view to extend the NATO air defense umbrella into Ukrainian territory in order to intercept missiles, which might be headed to potential targets near the Ukrainian-Poland border.

    NATO Secretary General:
    NATO allies are not part to the conflict in Ukraine. NATO and NATO Allies provide support to Ukraine. We help Ukraine to uphold the rights for self defense. That is a right, which is enshrined in the UN Charter. And of course, Ukraine has the right to defend itself against Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. And our main priority now, or one of the top priority now is to provide more air defense systems for Ukraine. Our air defense systems are set up to defend against attacks around the clock. But we have no indication this was the result of a deliberate attack and this incident does not have the characteristics of an attack. And that also explains why the reactions were as they were last night because this was not a deliberate attack and didn’t have the characteristics of a deliberate attack against NATO territory.

    NATO Spokesperson: ARD

    ARD:
    [inaudible] Two questions if I may. The first one is a more personal one. Everybody was very scared. I think yesterday evening everybody understood that could be potentially a very dangerous situation. How was your personal reaction when you first heard about it? And the second one is about, you said that debris that was found is probably from a Ukrainian air defense missile. The Ukrainian foreign minister said this is a Russian conspiracy theory and it’s not true. How do you judge that, that he made this judgement on the origin? Thank you.

    NATO Secretary General:
    Last question?

    ARD:
    Kuleba said is it is the Russian conspiracy theory that it is Ukrainian air defense missile, but your preliminary findings are apparently very different. Thank you.

    NATO Secretary General:
    Well, the investigations are not finally concluded. But based on what is so far now, this is most likely Ukrainian air defense systems or missiles. But again, this is not Ukraine’s fault. Russia bears responsibility for what happened in Poland yesterday because this is a direct result of the ongoing war and the wave of attacks from Russia against Ukraine yesterday. And of course Ukraine has the right to shoot down those missiles that are targeting Ukrainian citizens and critical Ukrainian infrastructure. NATO is prepared for situations like this. We are exercising, we are preparing, for instance for accidents like this to first and foremost to prevent them from happening. But if they happen, to ensure that they don’t spiral out of control. So yes, of course we were concerned when we got reports yesterday, and especially, we were saddened by the fact that there were two casualties but at the same time, we are monitoring we are following very closely. And therefore we are prepared to handle situations like this in a firm, calm, resolute way, but also in a way that prevent further escalation.

    NATO Spokesperson: Agence France-Presse

    AFP:
    Thank you very much. Secretary General, you’ve said repeatedly that NATO has all the capabilities along the eastern front and that you’re ready for these sorts of incidents at any moment. So what’s this a failure of NATO’s defenses that this missile was able to hit Polish territory?

    NATO Secretary General:
    Well the air defense systems, they are set up to defend us against attacks and attack missiles, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, they have special characteristics, which we then follow up and we monitor and then we make a judgement whether it’s an attack or whether it is something else. As I said this was most likely a Ukrainian air defense missile [inaudible] and of course, that missile doesn’t have the characteristics of an attack. And therefore that explains also why the actions were as they were. And that doesn’t say anything about our ability to defend against deliberate attacks against the NATO territory.

    NATO Spokesperson: Wall Street Journal

    Wall Street Journal:
    Dan Michaels, Wall Street Journal. Just a couple more factual questions, if possible, if the analysis yet shows this. Do you know if there was a Russian missile in the immediate area that the Ukrainians were specifically trying to target? And do you know, if the Ukrainian missile exploded on the ground, if it exploded potentially in the air and in contact with the Russian missile and if what was on the ground was just shrapnel or debris from that? Thank you very much.

    NATO Secretary General:
    Although there are relevant questions, I will not go into details, partly because there is an ongoing investigation. And, we had to decide later on how many details we can reveal. But anyway, there are ongoing investigations. So it’s an ongoing investigation that will look into those issues.

    NATO Spokesperson: TV2, lady over there.

    TV2 Norway:
    [inaudible] from TV2 Norway. Mr. Secretary General, the France president, Emmanuel Macron, he urged China to play a greater mediation role during this conflict. Do you see a greater role for you for China? And second question, do you see any possibilities for peace negotiations in the near future?

    NATO Secretary General:
    First and foremost, I believe that China should clearly condemn the invasion of Ukraine, which is a blatant violation of international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and, for instance, in the different votes in the UN, China has not voted in favor of those resolutions clearly condemning the invasion. Actually, China is also sharing much of the Russian narrative about the war and that’s a narrative which is not correct. It is Russia and President Putin that are responsible for the war and they can also end the war. We have to remember this is this is a war of aggression, where one country, Russia, invades another country and tried to control and take territory from that country. And of course, Ukraine has right to defend itself against the invasion, against the Russian aggression. If President Zelensky and Ukrainians stop the fight, of course, then then then Russia will win and they will achieve their military goals. So the reality is that if President Putin and Russia stops fighting, then we will have peace. But if President Zelensky and Ukrainians stop fighting then Ukraine will cease to exist as an independent sovereign nation. They have the right to defend themselves as an independent nation. Most likely this war, whether that’s on stage and at the negotiating table. At the same time, we know that the outcome of those negotiations is closely and fundamentally linked to the strength on the battlefield. So the best way we can ensure, maximize, the likelihood for a peaceful negotiated solution is to support Ukrainians on the battlefield, because that will maximize the probability for them achieving an acceptable negotiated solution on the negotiating table. So yes, we all want peace. We all want this war to end. That’s the best way we can contribute to a peace which ensures that Ukraine remains a independent sovereign nation, is deployed the military support Ukraine, so there can be an acceptable negotiated solution at the end of this war.

    NATO Spokesperson: Ok one final question, TVN24 Poland.

    TVN24 Poland:
    Thank you, Secretary General, as you said, it’s too early to assess whether it was an accident or not. But for sure it was a stress test for the whole NATO. Could you assess that and the first reaction of the Polish government the channel of communications, and the reaction of the NATO. Any room for improvement and any lesson learned for future?

    NATO Secretary General:
    NATO allies and Poland reacted in a calm and measured and well-coordinated way. We coordinate our responses. So we, we spoke together of course, during the evening yesterday, and also our military commanders informed. I spoke with the Supreme Allied Commander, both yesterday and this morning. And he also came to NATO Allies to the North Atlantic Council here in the NATO Headquarters this morning and briefed the Allies. So the coordination, the exchange of information, and then measured responses and also the message that we need to establish the facts before we draw any final conclusions on the incident in Poland, that shows that NATO Allies reacted in a prudent and responsible way. I think we have to understand that to manage this kind of incidence is partly about being firm and reacting quickly. But it’s also about being calm and preventing unnecessary escalation. And we always need to find that balance. Therefore it’s also important to have the best possible picture of actually what happened. Therefore, we actually said yesterday that we need some time to look into the incident. We did that over the course of the night. And then we have a clearer picture today. A picture that also stated that we have no indication that this was a deliberate attack and no indication that this was something that was targeted on NATO territory, and no indication that Russia is planning any aggressive military actions… but what we do know is that is that the whole incident is caused by Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine. So the best way of preventing anything like this from happening again, is for Russia to stop this war.

  • Ben Spencer – 2022 Speech on the Situation in Ukraine

    Ben Spencer – 2022 Speech on the Situation in Ukraine

    The speech made by Ben Spencer, the Conservative MP for Runnymede and Weybridge, in the House of Commons on 14 November 2022.

    It is always a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Rotherham (Sarah Champion), and I want to develop some of the points that she made so powerfully about the humanitarian response. I want to talk about the local response and about support for refugees.

    It is hard to believe that, for almost the entire year, we have watched the horrors unfolding in Ukraine, unleashed by Putin, and have witnessed an absolutely awful war and senseless bloodshed and violence. We have seen an incredible response from constituents across the country, and I have seen that particularly in my community, where we have opened our hearts and our homes to refugees in their plight. That is something quite special. There is no more personal response than the support that so many people are giving in opening up their homes to refugees from Ukraine, and I think we should be very proud of that.

    Alongside the “big stuff”—the amazing international leadership we have shown in terms of sanctions and the forming of a coalition to support the Ukrainians with military technology, kit and training—there is the domestic “small stuff”. In fact, I think that some of the most powerful support we have given is the opening up of our homes to refugees. I want to send a huge thank you to everyone in my constituency who has done that. I am sure many other Members across the country have thanked their constituents as well.

    Dean Russell (Watford) (Con)

    May I echo my hon. Friend’s comments? In Watford, we have seen an incredible burst of love and care for Ukrainian people who are over here. Yesterday in St Mary’s church, as part of the remembrance ceremony—supported by Luther Blissett, the Watford football legend, and his partner Lauren—a lady in the group read a beautiful Ukrainian poem from the pulpit. It was an incredible moment, bringing home to us the loss of her family back in Ukraine since she has been here, but also the incredible strength that these people are showing by being here and giving support from afar.

    Dr Spencer

    I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. It builds on a point I was about to make about paying tribute to particular individuals and groups. It is always invidious to do this because there are so many people to single out and so many groups to thank for what they are doing, but I want to raise four areas in my constituency that deserve special attention, in among the work that so many individuals and community groups are doing. One is the Revive café in Chertsey, which has a coffee morning for refugees. One of the key players there is a lady called Lizzie Wayland, who is a member of the Beacon Church, which hosts the cafe. It gives incredible support to people locally.

    I also want to draw the House’s attention to Lesia Scholey and Councillor Charu Sood, who have set up Weybridge Friends of Ukraine. They have been pivotal in leading support in Weybridge, alongside Elmbridge CAN and the Weybridge community hub. We also have a lady called Olena Melnyk, a refugee from Ukraine who now works in Runnymede Borough Council helping with translation for Ukrainian refugees. I would also like to thank my team in my office who have been incredible in supporting people going through the visa application process and in working on many pieces of casework supporting refugees once they have moved into my constituency.

    Building on that spirit, I would like to give my thanks to the Right Rev. Kenneth Nowakowski, the bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family in London, who came to speak to community groups in my constituency last week. I do not know whether Members have heard him speak, but he is incredible. Without doubt it was one of the best community speech events I have ever been to. He has been central to the refugee response from the start and he spoke about the support he has set up and the lessons learned, and gave a cautious commentary on what he sees for the future. He made two points in his speech that I hope he will not mind me mentioning. One of them really sent a chill through me. When he visited Ukraine recently, he went to a school and a little boy came up to him, very excited to see him. He said, “Come, come—you have to see our bomb shelter. It’s really cool.” That sent a chill, but in a sense it is also quite sweet, because it shows the resilience of children and the excitement of how life changes and we have to adjust in the context of conflict.

    The other thing the bishop reflected on in his talk was when people can start thinking about forgiveness. Given where we are now, that is very difficult to contemplate, but of course every war ends and things move on. One of the important things that we are talking about today is the rebuilding of Ukraine and what peace will look like. I say this cautiously to the House, because it is a difficult statement to make right now, given where we are and the pain that everyone is suffering, but perhaps these could be the early stages of thinking about the future that we want to have and the future that we can start hoping for as this awful conflict comes to an end.

    I would like to thank all the people who came to the event in my constituency: the community groups, the elected representatives and the people who have supported refugees across my constituency. Our communities are precious, and my communities in Runnymede and Weybridge are without doubt the things that make my constituency the best place, in my view—I am sure my colleagues would say similar things about their constituencies—and we need to support them. We need to recognise the incredible work that they do.

    Andy Carter (Warrington South) (Con)

    I was not intending to intervene in this debate, but my hon. Friend is making some excellent points. I attended a meeting of Ukrainian family sponsors in my constituency two weeks ago, and the thing I took away from it was the message that we need to encourage the Government to do more to support our fabulous sponsors and encourage them to continue to provide that service. In many cases, they are coming to the end of the six-month initial term, and in parts of Warrington we have high levels of Ukrainian families who are thinking about where they can live next. The sponsors have given up six months and they are thinking about what they do next as well. Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government could take a more active lead in supporting and encouraging sponsor families to continue?

    Dr Spencer

    I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. It is almost as if he had foresight of my speech—which I know he did not—because I am going to go on to talk about the challenges when sponsor-refugee relationships break down. I will come on to that in a moment.

    We must all cherish our communities and the support that they are giving. There is something very special about that, and if we do not fight to protect, cherish and thank them, it will be too late and we will lose them. I am sure that that is something that we all share. For a few months now, sadly, we have been hearing in my constituency about breakdowns in the relationships between sponsors and refugees. This is getting more concerning as we approach Christmas. A lot of people, when they generously offered to take part in the scheme, saw it as only a six-month commitment. It is important to recognise that if some can continue after six months that is fantastic, but for those who cannot, it is fantastic that they have helped out. There should be no animus if people feel that they cannot continue beyond the initial six months.

    I have had many conversations with the leader of Runnymede Borough Council, Councillor Tom Gracey, and its chief executive officer regarding concerns about the matching process. Some refugees are not able to be rematched, and Runnymede is going to give them homelessness support. It will help to rehouse refugees locally if they cannot be rematched. The concern is that this will put an additional burden on to the local authorities. I know that the Government have been very generous in their support to local authorities, but this will nevertheless be a challenge, especially in constituencies such as mine where the availability of affordable housing and affordable rents is very much at a premium.

    I have a question for the Minister about cases in which a refugee’s sponsorship has broken down and they cannot be rematched, and the state effectively takes on the role of sponsoring them through homelessness provision. Under the Homes for Ukraine scheme as it currently stands, the sponsor gets a monthly payment of about 350 quid, so when the Government effectively take over in a state sponsorship role, could the Minister look at the possibility of local authorities getting that sponsorship payment in lieu of the sponsor getting it? That would seem to be a cost-neutral provision—those are at a premium at the moment—to support local authorities when those relationships have broken down so that the homelessness provision does not put them under undue pressure.

    Sarah Champion

    I am glad that the hon. Member has raised that point, because it is key. Is he also aware that the Home Office currently seems to be funding schemes such as these from official development assistance—foreign aid money—but it is able to attribute that only for the first year? I am very concerned that, come February, all the support that we are able to give to Ukrainian refugees here will come to an end. I am interested to see if the Minister has any information about whether the Treasury will step up and fund those people from that point forward.

    Dr Spencer

    I thank the hon. Member for her intervention. Looking back at the past year and the incredible support given to Ukrainians at all levels, I am absolutely confident that the Government will ensure that they are doing their part, but equally I too would be interested to know what the specific plans are. Unfortunately, given where we are at the moment, it seems that this is going to be a long war that will displace people for a long period of time, so it will be interesting to hear about the medium-term and long-term transition plans.