Ukraine: UK Security Guarantee

Debate between Baroness Chapman of Darlington and Lord Balfe

Thursday 5th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

My noble friend is right that US involvement in the security guarantees is going to be essential. We continue to talk about this with our friends and allies in the US.

[Lord Balfe (Con)]

My Lords, it may be unpopular, but the Russians do actually believe they have a case. If we are going to get peace, we have to get a neutral arbiter in there to try to start negotiations. The word that is missing is “Europe”. What are the Government doing to call together our European allies in the European Union to try to move forward towards a constructive dialogue that could lead to some peace?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I have not known the noble Lord for all that long, but I do not think that being popular is something that he troubles himself about too much when he makes his positions known, and I respect that. The territorial integrity of Ukraine and the extent to which that forms part of any negotiated outcome needs to be the result of a negotiation that has Ukraine at the centre of it, and it is not actually for us to tell Ukraine what it needs to accept by way of outcome, or to make points about Russia’s right, or otherwise. Russia has invaded Ukraine; it was wrong that it did that. It could bring about peace and begin negotiations now; it is choosing not to do that. So, as the noble Lord says, we will work with our friends in the European Union to support any efforts that we can to bring that about.