Oral Answers to Questions

John Whittingdale Excerpts

Tuesday 11th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Duncan]

I note my hon. Friend’s suggestion, but that matter is already in train and the visit—offer to the President—stands.

[Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

4. What steps he is taking to support economic and political development in Ukraine.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Boris Johnson)]

The UK is in the lead on this issue, helping Ukraine to make the vital reforms that it needs, and to continue to crack down on corruption, which is so important if we are going to encourage long-term and continued investment in a successful Ukraine.

[Mr Whittingdale]

I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the organisation last week of the Ukraine reform conference in London, which demonstrated that Britain will continue to play a leading role on the world stage in the years to come. Can he confirm that, while Ukraine still faces major challenges, progress is being made in areas such as tackling corruption? Will he also tell us what more can be done to assist it?

[Boris Johnson]

May I get the ball back over the net by congratulating my right hon. Friend on becoming chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Ukraine? All of us in this House have a clear interest in a strong and successful Ukraine, which is why we have invested another £33 million in helping the Ukrainians to tackle their governance problems. The House should be in no doubt about what is going on in Ukraine. It is, if you like, an arm wrestle between two value systems: our way of looking at the world and the Russian way of looking at the world. It is vital for our continent and for this country that our way prevails. With British help, I believe that it is prevailing and will prevail.