For 20 years, Vladimir Putin has been repeating the mistakes of
Russia's past: by seeking to recreate the Russian empire and
suffocate the countries around its borders.
Too often in the past, the West has let him. We did too little in
2008, when he invaded Georgia, and in 2014, when he first went
into Ukraine.
When he launched his full-scale attack almost three years ago, he
thought it would be more of the same. Putin believed that he
would win his war in three days. Yet the Ukrainians continue to
fight with huge courage and the support of their friends.
Putin only responds to strength. Donald Trump and Volodymyr
Zelensky have both spoken of their desire to achieve “peace
through strength”. And the support we give to Ukraine provides
the strength to achieve that peace. Ukraine, Britain, Europe and
the US all agree.
In Brussels this week, at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group –
which we as the UK chaired for the first time – Pete Hegseth, the
US defence secretary, confirmed that, like us, the US wants to
see a sovereign, prosperous Ukraine.
Like us, the US wants a lasting peace, after almost three years
of war.
Like us, the US recognises the failure of Minsk agreements, deals
made from a position of division and weakness.
At the Munich Security Conference this weekend, our message to
our allies is the need for us all to continue to unite and show
strength.
The Prime Minister has signed a 100-year partnership with Ukraine
– a testament to our long-term commitment and confidence in the
country's future. Including the new loans we are giving, which
will be repaid using the windfall profits from frozen Russian
assets, our support extends to £15 billion.
And we are going farther still: this week, we announced an
additional £150 million military package, part of the record £4.5
billion in support we are providing this coming year.
A year on from the death of Alexei Navalny, we are also putting
new sanctions on Putin's inner circle, adding to 2,000 sanctions
Britain has already put on Russia.
From opposition and in government, we have been clear that Europe
and the UK must do more together to share the burden of our
continent's security.
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We were clear we need our friends in Europe to invest more in
defence and seize the opportunities of closer UK-EU cooperation.
This has already begun. Europe is united on the need to step up.
We are – and we will.
Europe has now committed almost two thirds of all aid to Ukraine,
and well over half the military aid. In 2021, the UK and US were
two of only six allies meeting Nato's 2 per cent defence spending
target. That number is now 23.
And we all need to turn up the pressure on Russia. Putin's
economy is struggling. Last year, the Kremlin spent more on
military aid than social welfare for the first time since the
collapse of the Soviet Union.
Sanctions on energy are a particular priority: the UK has
sanctioned more than 100 ships, as well as Gazprom Neft and PJSC
Surgutneftegas, two of Russia's big four oil companies.
While Russia is weakened, it remains undeniably dangerous. Just
this weekend, our Royal Navy will track Russian warships passing
close to British waters. These ships are retreating from Syria
after Putin abandoned his ally Bashar al-Assad, yet they remain
armed and full of ammunition. We will be watching their every
move.
Ultimately, we need a strong peace. A durable peace. A peace that
allows Ukrainians a secure future and deters any future Russian
aggression. That is why there must be no talks about Ukraine
without Ukraine, and we must give Mr Zelensky the strongest
possible hand in those talks.
A bad peace would not only harm our security, but our economies,
too: Putin's 2022 invasion took 1.5 per cent off global GDP and
added 3 per cent to European inflation. China, Iran and North
Korea are all watching.
A durable peace must be based on new security arrangements:
Europe doubling down to do more on our own continent's security;
a continuing, long-term US commitment to its allies through Nato;
and British support to the US and allies in the Indo-Pacific –
such as through the Aukus security partnership. That is the way
to make us all stronger.
On Feb 24, we will mark a grim milestone – three years since
Putin's full-scale invasion. Yet despite all the challenges,
Ukrainians are showing astonishing tenacity. Now is the time to
turn up the pressure on the Kremlin. With strength and unity, we
will prevail.
