I’m very pleased to welcome Prime
Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Rutte to London.
During the excellent meetings we
have had today we reaffirmed that our three countries stand
shoulder-to-shoulder against Russia’s barbaric invasion of
Ukraine.
In the 12 days since Russia
launched this illegal and brutal assault, the world has come
together in solidarity with the indomitable people of
Ukraine.
Last week 141 countries – nearly
three quarters of the entire membership of the United Nations –
voted to condemn Putin’s war.
And 39 countries – including the
UK, Canada and the Netherlands – voted to refer Putin’s actions
to the International Criminal Court. This is the largest such
action in the Court has ever seen and will allow the chief
prosecutor to open an investigation to ensure Putin cannot commit
these crimes with impunity.
As Ukrainians resist Russia’s
onslaught with courage and tenacity, the international community
must aid their struggle in every way we can.
We will only succeed if the whole
international community moves together with the same spirit of
unity we have seen in recent days.
Justin, Mark and I have been
discussing that today. And later this afternoon I am going to be
speak to the leaders of the US, France and Germany to further
coordinate our action.
To aid these efforts, today the
UK is joining our Dutch and Canadian friends to mobilise more
practical and sustained support for Ukraine.
Our new ‘International Ukraine
Support Group’ will coordinate the efforts of the international
community to provide long term, and unwavering assistance, now
and in the future. And we will be encouraging more countries to
join us.
This is the moment for Ukraine’s
friends to create a coalition of humanitarian, economic and
defensive military support to ensure that Putin
fails.
That is why today I am announcing
a further £175m of UK aid for Ukraine - $100m of which will be
provided directly to the Ukrainian Government. This brings the
total UK support announced during this crisis to around
£400m.
After 12 days it is already clear
that Putin has made a miscalculation.
He has underestimated Ukrainians,
their heroic resistance, and their leader.
He has underestimated the unity
of the West.
And we will continue to
strengthen that unity in the days ahead to ensure that Putin
fails in this catastrophic invasion of Ukraine.
