Deputy Ambassador Brown says that the UK, together with partners,
will accelerate efforts to ensure Ukraine wins the war and
secures a just and lasting peace.
"Thank you, Mr. Chair,
This time last year, Russia had assembled a military force of
over 130,000 troops and a massive accumulation of weaponry and
equipment along Ukraine’s borders and in illegally annexed
Crimea, preparing to invade its sovereign neighbour. Since then,
Russia has committed atrocity upon atrocity: indiscriminate
strikes on civilian areas and critical infrastructure; human
rights abuses, childhoods stolen; sexual violence and abuse;
“filtration centres”; attempted illegal annexations. Most
recently this morning we woke up to reports of missile strikes in
central, Western and northern Ukraine. Throughout, the United
Kingdom has stood firmly with the Ukrainian people as they resist
this brutal and unprovoked invasion. Our enduring commitment to
Ukraine was exemplified during President Zelenskyy’s
visit to the UK last week. My statement today will focus on
this support to Ukraine.
As Ukrainians enter their second year living under relentless and
full-scale bombardment, the UK, together with partners, will
accelerate our efforts to ensure Ukraine wins the war and secures
a just and lasting peace.
Firstly, on the battlefield, the UK is proud to be the largest
European supplier of military aid to Ukraine, with support of
£2.3 billion in 2022. As announced last week, the UK will be
expanding our training for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to include
fighter jet pilots and marines.
Secondly, we will support a better future for Ukraine. In the
short-term, the UK has pledged £1.5 billion in economic and
humanitarian support, which has funded the delivery of more than
11 million medical items. In June, we will co-host
with Ukraine the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London. And
we will continue to pursue justice and accountability initiatives
to ensure those responsible are held to account.
Thirdly, we will continue to defend the values of the
international system that Russia is shattering with no remorse,
including the Helsinki Final Act principles which are the
cornerstone of this organisation.
Mr Chair, next week we will mark one year since the start of this
unnecessary and horrific war. A day we hoped would never come.
President Putin himself did not calculate the war would last this
long. He believed his forces would be welcomed with open arms,
that Ukrainians would not fight, and that the West would get
tired, bored, and fragmented. He has been proved wrong on all
counts. Putin has backed himself into a corner with strategic
error after strategic error. The path to peace is clear: Putin
must unconditionally withdraw all Russian troops from the entire
territory of Ukraine. Russia must pay for the damage it has
inflicted. And those individuals responsible must be held to
account. Russia will not succeed. The international community is
united, and the United Kingdom will not tire. Ukraine will
prevail and see a brighter future."
