Ukraine

Lord Risby Excerpts

Friday 31st October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Risby (Con)]

My Lords, I much look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Lord, Lord Barrow, and thank the Minister for his excellent speech at the commencement of this debate.

Russia continues to inflict terror and destruction upon the people of Ukraine. Speaking to the regional administration in the Chernihiv Oblast this week, it was reported to me that Russia, in clear violation of international law, had deliberately targeted its civilian infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power. Of course, this is the case elsewhere in the country, and winter approaches.

The war in Ukraine has exposed the fragility of western readiness and tested a complacency which for too long has characterised much of Europe’s defence, so dependent on the United States. Quite simply, defence spending remains key, and our resolve regarding aggression and stability must be matched by our own capacity. If there is one nation that has truly grasped the scale of this new reality, it is Poland, which has emerged as a model—indeed, as the iron shield of NATO’s eastern flank, so important for us and for Ukraine. The role that it now plays in the security of Europe cannot be downplayed, for Poland today spends some 4.5% of its GDP on defence. It is worth noting that, just a decade ago, UK spending was the third highest in NATO as a percentage of GDP; it is now 12th. Poland has achieved strategic clarity that places deterrence and preparedness at the centre of its defence policy.

I declare an interest as a director of the think tank the Council on Geostrategy, which has presented a blueprint for a trilateral initiative between the UK, Poland and Ukraine, building on the trilateral agreement signed in 2022, to increase closer and more structured co-operation between the three countries. Rekindling the trilateral format could help give British industry an additional boost over our competitors as Poland’s defence spending grows through its intense co-operation with its near Baltic neighbours. It is a country that is uniquely essential for the security of Ukraine. It is sending a very clear message to an ever-aggressive Russia for the future, to our national benefit and our security.

The Government’s announcement of the UK-Ukraine 100-year partnership is a landmark. However, significant work must be undertaken to develop this excellent agreement. As we rightly continue to arm and assist Ukraine, we must also help it prepare for the peace that ultimately will happen. Prior to the full-scale invasion, Ukraine recognised, through its own constitution and reform agenda, that its path on a European trajectory was reliant on proper decentralisation and empowered local government. War has necessitated centralisation in Kyiv, but when martial law is lifted, power has to flow back to the regions, cities and communities that will be tasked with rebuilding Ukraine from the ground up. This is where the UK can well support the future of Ukraine.

I note that this model is already being quietly exported through paradiplomacy. Several English counties, including my home county of Suffolk, have forged regional partnerships with Ukrainian oblasts. These partnerships have the real potential to be engines of recovery, matching British expertise and experience with Ukrainian innovation and determination. In the Chernihiv region, the Kent With Ukraine partnership has already delivered tonnes of humanitarian aid and instigated English language programmes, and is commencing innovative projects on agriculture through to veterans’ rehabilitation. All of this is being incredibly well received by our friends in Ukraine.

This war, of course, is well beyond a regional conflict. It is a global inflection point. How we react and continue to react will affect generations to come.