Ukraine

Baroness Eaton Excerpts

Friday 31st October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Eaton (Con)]

My Lords, I join others in warmly welcoming the noble Lord, Lord Barrow, to the House and thank him so much for his inspirational maiden speech.

As we all know, it is now more than three years since Russia’s wicked invasion of Ukraine, which shattered the peace of Europe and the understanding on which our post-Cold War security rested. What began as an attempt to subjugate a foreign neighbour has called into question the positionality of an entire generation, as we in the West continue to falter in our resolve, resilience and the values we claim to cherish.

This time last year, this House spoke of the courage and endurance both of the Ukrainian people and of the western alliance supporting them. Since then, the world has changed drastically, with the return of President Trump, who has forced us to reconsider approaches we thought were axiomatic. Where NATO allies once spoke in unison, there is now always a sense of looking over one’s shoulder to see where Washington might have landed on an issue. Yet, amid the shifting language of diplomacy, one truth remains constant: Ukraine’s fight is our fight, for the purposes of sovereignty, freedom and the rule of law.

Noble Lords will remember that, in February, our International Relations and Defence Committee reflected soberly on what the war has revealed, concluding that Russia’s invasion marked the return of conventional warfare to Europe and, with that, the end of complacency. We have had to face the sombre reality that NATO’s defence posture has failed and that the United Kingdom and her allies alike are unprepared for war. Indeed, our defence industrial base, resources and endurance were all found lacking. Granted, the defence review began to address some of these weaknesses, but, if we want to be taken seriously on the world stage and protect our security from non-traditional threats, this is only the beginning. Our security cannot depend upon assumptions nor upon the good will of others. Instead, it must rest on readiness, risk mitigation and realism.

While the people of Ukraine continue to fight under relentless bombardment and humble us all with their courage, the least they can ask of the democratic nations of the world is not to falter in our championing of them. Be it through military supply, humanitarian relief or diplomatic advocacy, the voice of United Kingdom still carries. We must ensure that it continues to do so, not through rhetoric alone, but through consistent action. Tears in the fabric of the western alliance only embolden Moscow and signal to others, such as Beijing and Tehran, that the resolve of democracies is fallible.

It is undeniable that we have learned a great deal from Ukraine in terms of innovation and strategy in the last few years, but we must not forget to consider the moral arena too. Ukraine reminds us that freedom is never free, that deterrence must be actionable and that the financial burden of defence can never outweigh a national duty. As the world becomes ever more divided and relations that have existed for generations start to change, we see new powers coming to the fore, and the United Kingdom must remain centre stage. We stand by Ukraine not merely because it is right, but because our own peace depends upon its defence against the tyranny of oppression. Let us therefore recommit in word, in will and in deed to ensuring that Ukraine prevails, that aggression fails and that liberty endures.