- The Prime Minister will address fellow world leaders, defence
chiefs and global governments at the Munich Security Conference
today
- He will stress the importance of not just winning the war in
Ukraine, but of winning the peace – including through NATO
security reassurances
- Gathering follows President Zelenskyy’s visit to the UK,
Paris and Brussels last week where the PM announced new air
defence training and longer-range missiles
The Prime
Minister will stress the importance of a coordinated military
strategy for Ukraine to win the war and a political strategy to
win the peace when he addresses the Munich Security Conference
today (Saturday).
Pointing to
the record level of military support given by Ukraine’s partners
last year, including £2.3 billion from the UK, the Prime Minister
will say that while our collective efforts are making a
difference on the ground, now is the moment to double down on
support.
He will
point to the UK’s own commitments in recent weeks of main battle
tanks, advanced air defence systems, military training and
longer-range missiles, saying that the international community
needs to match the level of support we gave to Ukraine last year
in a matter of weeks, not months.
He
is expected to say:
“Now
is the moment to double down on our military
support.
“When Putin
started this war, he gambled that our resolve would falter. Even
now he is betting we will lose our nerve.
“But
we proved him wrong then, and we will prove him wrong
now.”
The last
meeting of the Munich Security Conference was held days before
Russian troops launched their full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In
the year that has elapsed since, the European continent has
confronted a security challenge not seen for generations.
The Prime
Minister will use his speech at the global security forum to say
that securing a lasting peace for Ukraine will require a
strengthening of international law and the creation of a new
framework for Ukraine’s long-term security.
He will
advocate for a new NATO charter to protect Ukraine from future
Russian aggression – providing them the assurance of support they
need in the long-term.
He
is expected to say:
“We
need to do more to boost Ukraine’s long-term
security.
“We
must give them the advanced, NATO-standard capabilities that they
need for the future.
“And
we must demonstrate that we’ll remain by their side, willing and
able to help them defend their country again and
again.”
The Prime
Minister has previously stressed the need to bolster Ukraine with
NATO-standard defences and capabilities, not merely as a
pre-cursor to future NATO membership but as a way of ensuring
that Russia cannot threaten Ukraine in the way it has
consistently since 2014.
In his
speech today, the Prime Minister will say that this action is
necessary not just to protect Ukraine, but to defend the security
of the whole European continent and the global order that has
preserved peace and security for 80 years.
He
is expected to say:
“What is at
stake in this war is even greater than the security and
sovereignty of one nation.
“It’s about the
security and sovereignty of every nation.
“Because
Russia’s invasion, its abhorrent war crimes and irresponsible
nuclear rhetoric are symptomatic of a broader threat to
everything we believe in.”
The Prime
Minister’s speech at the Munich Security Conference comes the
week after President Zelenskyy’s visit to the UK, Paris and
Brussels. During their meetings, the Prime Minister and President
Zelenskyy agreed a two-pronged approach to UK support for
Ukraine, starting with an immediate surge of military equipment
to the country to help counter Russia’s spring offensive, and
reinforced by long-term support.
As part of
that approach, the Prime Minister announced the UK would extend
its training mission – which has already seen 10,000 Ukrainian
troops come to the UK – to cover fighter jet pilots, ensuring
Ukraine can defend its skies using NATO tactics well into the
future.
He also
offered to provide Ukraine with NATO-standard, longer range
capabilities. These will disrupt Russia’s ability to continually
target Ukraine’s civilian and critical national infrastructure
and help relieve pressure on Ukraine’s
frontlines.
Notes to
Editors:
- The Prime Minister’s session at the Munich Security
Conference will take place at 12pm GMT and will be streamed
here. He will deliver a
speech followed by questions from delegates in the audience.
- In the last year, £2.3bn of UK military support to Ukraine
has provided 3 million pieces of military equipment, including a
squadron of Challenger 2 tanks, 200 other armoured vehicles, more
than 10,000 anti-tank missiles and Multiple Launch Rocket
Systems. The Prime Minister has committed to match or exceed that
level of support in 2023.
- Air training for Ukrainian pilots in the UK will commence in
the spring.
- To mark the first anniversary of Putin’s full-scale invasion
of Ukraine, the UK will hold a national minute’s silence at 11am
on Friday 24th February. More
details are available here.
