Ukraine

Lord Callanan Excerpts

Friday 25th October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to take part in this vital debate on the ongoing, terrible war in Ukraine. It is a conflict that has truly shaken Europe and, indeed, the whole world. On these Benches, as my noble friend Lord Courtown said initially, we stand firmly in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and right to self-determination.

We have heard some great contributions today. I thought the debate was very well opened by the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, and I agreed with every word he said—which makes a change. We heard other excellent contributions, not least the maiden speech of the noble Lord, Lord Spellar, which I thought was a witty, erudite contribution. We all greatly look forward to his future contributions to your Lordships’ House. He graced the other place for many years and I am sure he will be in this House for many years to come.

Russia’s illegal and brutal invasion is not only a gross violation of international law but a direct assault on the very principles of liberty, democracy and national sovereignty that we as a nation, across parties, all hold dear. The American diplomat George Kennan famously warned of Soviet expansionism and observed that the Soviet Union was

“impervious to the logic of reason”

but

“highly sensitive to the logic of force”.

This simple truth remains as relevant to Russia today as it was to the Soviet Union back then.

One of the single most important things that my party did during our time in office was to side unequivocally with Ukraine. Under both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, we were often the first mover on vital military aid and we frequently pushed our allies to go further than they initially wanted. We should be proud of that. We were at the vanguard of the sanctions response, we delivered vital humanitarian support and we were constantly looking at new ways of constraining Putin’s war machine. In that spirit, I am truly delighted to see the new Government continuing, in the same vein, to offer unwavering support to Ukraine in terms of both military aid and humanitarian assistance.

As many noble Lords have reminded us, it is imperative that we also recognise the tremendous resilience and courage of the Ukrainian people. Their resistance in the face of Russian aggression has been nothing short of heroic. We all hold in great admiration President Zelensky and his Government because they have demonstrated remarkable leadership and true bravery in the most harrowing of circumstances. Those of us who take part in politics in a free and democratic nation take for granted the right to turn up, take part in debates and go about our normal business. Many Ministers in government in Ukraine—not least President Zelensky—are putting their very lives at risk by doing it. Whatever small criticisms we may have of some of his decisions, we should always bear that in mind. They are defending not only their nation but the future of freedom in Europe.

The UK has played an important role in this defence, of which we should be proud. Through the provision of cutting-edge military equipment, including tanks, artillery and air defence systems, we have helped Ukraine to withstand and—in some cases, happily—actually to repel Russian forces. But we must remain vigilant and proactive. This war is, sadly, far from over. As the situation evolves, so too must our support.

As many others have remarked, I was particularly interested, and not a little depressed, to hear the contribution of the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Stirrup, about how hard it will be to negotiate an enduring political settlement. As we all know, we really cannot believe a word that Putin says or any treaty that he signs.

Beyond military support, as the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, reminded us, we must not forget the humanitarian aspect of this conflict. Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced, their homes have been destroyed and their future has become increasingly uncertain. Again, the UK has a moral duty to continue offering refuge to those fleeing the horrors of war and to support Ukrainian reconstruction efforts once peace is finally achieved. This will require not just government action but collaboration with many international organisations, NGOs and the private sector. In her summary, will the Minister confirm that His Majesty’s Government are still prioritising the Homes for Ukraine scheme, building on the previous Government’s great work in this area?

I will also touch briefly on a point that is sometimes overlooked in this debate, which is the strategic importance of energy security. Russia has long sought to use its vast energy resources as a weapon of coercion and the war in Ukraine has underscored the urgent need for Europe to wean itself off Russian oil and gas—indeed, to wean itself off oil and gas completely. The previous Government took steps to address this not only through diversifying energy supplies but by increasing our investment in renewable and nuclear energy. Again, I hope the Minister recognises the importance of continuing with those policies.

Finally, while we must remain resolute in our support for Ukraine, we must also be clear-eyed about the path forward because, as many others have said, there is no quick or easy resolution to this conflict. Any lasting peace must be based on justice, on the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and on assurances that Russia will not be able to repeat such aggression in the future, which probably means some military guarantees.

We should be under no illusion: this war is not just about Ukraine. It is about defending the principles that have underpinned peace and stability in Europe since the end of the Second World War. It is about ensuring that might does not always make right, and that the sovereignty of nations, no matter their size, is respected by all.

In conclusion, I urge the House and the Government to continue their cross-party support for Ukraine. We have to stand firm in our defence of freedom, and we must remain committed to ensuring that Ukraine prevails in this struggle for, in doing so, we are defending not only Ukraine but the security and future of the entire free world.