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.