Ukraine

Lord Callanan Excerpts

Friday 31st October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

My Lords, I too thank the Government for bringing forward this important debate. Yet again, we have seen some fantastic contributions on this topic. As always, I was encouraged to see virtual unanimity, across those of all parties and none in the House, in support of the valiant Ukrainian people and in condemnation of the vile dictator currently—but, I hope, temporarily—residing in the Kremlin.

It was a pleasure to hear the maiden speech of the noble Lord, Lord Barrow, who brings so much practical diplomatic experience of the situation on the ground in Russia and Ukraine. For part of my time in ministerial office, I served as the UK representative on the EU’s General Affairs Council, when the noble Lord was the UK’s Permanent Representative in Brussels, and I can certainly testify to his commendable hospitality in the Brussels residence in which I stayed. We had some great late-night discussions on many subjects, but I particularly remember him fondly telling me about his time and experience as an ambassador in Moscow. I know that the House will greatly benefit from that experience in many debates to come. As the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, remarked, he can reassure his family that the speech was fairly brief, but it certainly was not bland.

It is now well over three years since Putin launched his illegal war on Ukraine, a war that has seen a European nation invaded and horrific war crimes committed against the people of Ukraine, as many of the great contributions today have testified. As I said, across this House, we have almost all remained united in our condemnation of that invasion. We as a nation can be proud of that, and we credit the Government for continuing the steadfast support that we gave to Ukraine when we were in office.

However, as has been said, Ukraine’s war is not yet won. Ukraine still desperately needs our full support. One area that has been crucial has been the removal of UK tariffs on Ukrainian goods, which has ensured a vital source of foreign revenue for the Ukrainian Government and wider economy. However, there is a looming deadline on 31 March 2026, when tariff-free access for Ukrainian poultry and egg produce is set to end. Ukraine has increased its poultry exports to the UK in recent years, but this has not impacted British farmers, who face production constraints and cannot meet that rising demand; rather, it has displaced exports from other countries, including China, Brazil and Thailand. The reimposition of tariffs on poultry and egg produce will harm UK consumers and deprive the Ukrainian Government and wider economy of a crucial source of revenue. Facilitating trade should be a key pillar of the support that we provide to Ukraine, as the revenues raised from exports are a crucial source of funding for the Ukrainian Government and the Ukrainian people and directly fund the country’s armed forces. I hope the Minister could speak to some of her colleagues in the DBT on that matter and help ensure a pro-Ukrainian resolution to that.

Although we all remember those fraught weeks in February and March 2022 when Ukraine’s fate hung in the balance, we must not forget that Ukraine’s struggle did not start then; it began much earlier than 2022. They have been fighting for their independence, democracy and freedom from Russian interference since 2014—and before then, some may argue. In 2022, Putin sought to bring an end to Ukraine’s long struggle for independence by force of arms, but the indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people and the selfless sacrifice of so many brought the invasion to a halt and rolled back Putin’s forces. Those of us watching on our TV screens cheered them along every step of the way. However, sadly, Russian forces remain entrenched today in Ukrainian territory, and Ukraine is still locked in a desperate struggle for its very survival.

Between 2022 and 2024, the previous Conservative Government provided major financial support for Ukraine. We shipped huge quantities of military hardware to Kyiv. We know the crucial role that NLAW missiles played in the early part of the war. I am pleased to say that we have gone on to provide tanks, air defence systems, artillery and long-range precision strike missiles. Every Ukrainian that visits the UK who I get the pleasure of meeting is eternally grateful for the support that we have provided them.

We have brought in tough sanctions against Russia, including some of those individuals close to Putin, who have played their own role in support of that illegal war. I commend the Government on continuing to strengthen those sanctions against Russia. I hope they will continue to do so and that they will perhaps look at sanctions on members of United Russia, Putin’s patsy political party, in the future.

We also took the initiative on protecting those displaced by the war in Ukraine; many Members have referred to the Homes for Ukraine scheme. While leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister, to his great credit, supported us when we took that action. He has continued to build on our work, and we offer him our support now. Since his Government took office, we have seen further support for Ukraine. We fully support that help.

Across the previous and current Governments, the UK has so far committed up to £21.8 billion in a difficult financial environment to Ukraine, which, in my view, is money well spent. The Government have also worked to establish the coalition of the willing to support Ukraine’s future security and signed the UK up to a slightly bizarre UK-Ukraine 100-year partnership. That is better than some of their other 100-year agreements, I have to say.

All this builds on the strong relationship we fostered with Ukraine when we were in office, and we welcome the steps forward as we continue to support the people of Ukraine in their hour of need. But, despite all our support, Ukraine remains at war. Despite suffering around a million casualties, Russia remains committed to that illegal invasion. I wonder if, in her closing remarks, the Minister could update the House on the latest attempts to use our influence internationally to bring Russia to a position where a just peace can be achieved. Is the Government’s position that peace and, crucially, long-term security for Ukraine can be achieved only through primarily diplomatic means, or do they believe that there is a military solution? What is the Government’s position on the deployment of those frozen Russian assets to further aid Ukrainian defence and eventually to partly help pay for the rebuilding of their country? Finally, can the Minister reassure the House that the UK is working to further develop our intelligence in respect of Russia and her allies? Can she give the House a sense of how well that information is being shared with Ukraine?

Russia’s war on Ukraine is an assault not just on the Ukrainian nation, but on the values of independence, sovereignty and the right of a democratic nation to forge its own future. Ukraine’s security is essential to European security. The Ukrainian flag still flies proudly above government buildings up and down Whitehall, and the rest of the country. It should not come down again until Ukraine enjoys peace on its own land once again. We must continue our firm support of Ukraine until that happy day comes.

Qatar: Israeli Strike

Lord Callanan Excerpts

Thursday 11th September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

My Lords, of course, it is important to remember that Israel has the right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN charter. Yesterday saw further strikes by Israel, this time on Houthi targets in Yemen. We know that the Prime Minister met Israel’s leader, President Herzog, yesterday. Could the Minister tell us what was discussed in that meeting and what practical steps the Government are taking to contain the growing instability in the Middle East?

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Coaker) (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his question. Of course, Israel has a right to self-defence, but the Government are concerned by Israel’s strike in Doha, we condemn the flagrant violation of sovereignty and stand in solidarity with Qatar. I extend my personal recognition and respect to the Emir for his continued commitment to supporting peace negotiations. In discussions that the Prime Minister rightly had with President Herzog yesterday, he reiterated that condemnation of Israel’s strikes on Doha, which violated Qatar’s sovereignty and risked further escalation in the region. He pressed him to stop the famine from worsening by allowing aid in and halting IDF operations in Gaza City. He also shared his condolences for the horrific terror attacks in Jerusalem on Monday. They both agreed on the need for Hamas to immediately release the hostages, and the UK will continue its work to seek an enduring peace.

Ukraine: Negotiations

Lord Callanan Excerpts

Tuesday 9th September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for the question. The first point that needs to be made is that it is up to Russia as well to engage in meaningful talks, and it is up to Russia as well to be sincere in the efforts that it is making to bring about the ceasefire and, in the end, to come to some agreement. The contribution that we have made is by insisting that Ukraine has a voice in whatever solution we can come to an agreement about; to keep the US involved, which is crucial to the integrity of any agreement or settlement that is reached; and to move towards what we are calling a reassurance force, as the noble Lord will know, to ensure that the security guarantee that Ukraine has after any settlement is real and meaningful. That is what we are trying to do to ensure that we end the war as quickly as possible. We are supporting President Trump in his efforts to do that, but I say again that it also requires Russia to enter the talks meaningfully.

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

My Lords, I join the Minister in paying tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Collins. We enjoyed our exchanges across the Dispatch Box. I know that he spent many years shadowing the job in opposition and only too briefly enjoyed it in government. We wish him well for the future. We are pleased to hear that he is still on the Front Bench.

In recent months, we have seen a massive increase in the number of Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets, often involving hundreds of drones and missiles. Ukrainian air defences are often overwhelmed, as we saw earlier this week. Therefore, can the UK Government can do anything to supply Ukraine with additional military aid, specifically to support its air defences in the light of those attacks?

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

The noble Lord makes an extremely important point about the need for air defences and their crucial nature. The UK, with our friends and our allies, including the Americans, who have just provided Patriot missiles as well, is seeking to ensure that we do everything we can to maintain the ability of Ukraine to defend itself. The noble Lord makes a really important point. While we were negotiating—while the Alaskan talks and other negotiations were going on—we saw an increase in the attacks on Kyiv by the Russians using those missiles. We will certainly do all we can to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself.

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.