Ukraine

Lord Risby Excerpts

Friday 25th October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Risby (Con)]

My Lords, I greatly welcome the statements of His Majesty’s Government regarding their continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s horrific and illegal invasion. It is my hope that the Government will continue remorselessly to be one of the leading supporters of Ukraine.

The current situation in Ukraine is of great concern, in terms of the assault on legal and moral international norms that Russia has unleashed, and of our strategic interests in deterring any potential further aggression towards NATO by Russia. As it is, in the light of my discussions with businesses in Ukraine, the electricity and water supply has diminished considerably. Although Putin failed in his initial war goal of establishing a client state, this surely remains his ultimate goal. That simply cannot be allowed to happen.

One feature of the war in Ukraine that is sometimes overlooked and is worth reminding ourselves of is the degree to which the conflict has highlighted the necessary and growing links between the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific. Russia’s continued offensive actions are in large part enabled by ammunition, and indeed soldiers, supplied by North Korea, and by weapons and dual-use equipment supplied by Iran and China. But Australia has helped to supply Ukraine with military equipment, and South Korea and Japan have been increasing their levels of support for Ukraine. These Indo-Pacific nations have realised how interlinked their own security is with the situation of the Euro-Atlantic. North Korea is sending soldiers, but I would encourage the Government to persuade South Korea to step up its support for Ukraine to include directly supplying military equipment. South Korea has in its possession a number of T-80 tanks given to it by the Russians. The Ukrainians are already familiar with these tanks and could put them to excellent use there.

Another issue is the eastward shift of the centre of gravity of European security. Poland will soon possess Europe’s premier fighting force on land, and Finland and Sweden, having joined NATO, are increasing their defence spending; indeed, that is true of other nations too. They are seeking to deter Russia and support Ukraine more fulsomely. Does the Minister agree that we would be wise to consider how to be in a better position to support these allies and work hand in glove with them to bolster security among NATO’s eastern flank?

Happily, much supported by the eloquent noble Lord, Lord Spellar, the Council on Geostrategy has recently published a report, along with Polish and Ukrainian think tanks, outlining how the trilateral initiative between the UK, Poland and Ukraine can be used. The trilateral initiative was announced just days before Russia’s full-scale invasion. The report sets out how the three nations can support the Ukrainian war effort and help shape a post-war Europe. In the military context, this includes allowing Ukraine to launch western missiles at targets in Russia, and ramping up support for Ukraine to develop and build long-range attack drones in greater numbers. It also recommends putting much greater pressure on the Russian economy. In combating corruption and aggression, the Minister will know of the Financial Action Task Force. I ask the Minister, why, under the auspices of the FATF, Russia is not on this organisation’s key grey list.

The BBC has admirably highlighted the mental health issues afflicting Ukraine, as acknowledged by the Ukrainian health ministry. The Lancet reported that 54% of Ukrainians have PTSD, an estimate shared by the World Health Organization. MedAid, a British not-for-profit organisation, is financing support groups to provide mental health experts free of charge to those suffering grievously in this terrible conflict and is teaching how best to offer support. The expertise of Combat Stress, the UK veterans mental health organisation, is also deeply appreciated.

The fabric of Ukraine will require huge funding for reconstruction and renewal in due course, but there will remain the absolute need for demining. It is estimated that up to 2 million land mines have been laid in the past two years. The agricultural output of Ukraine has been badly hit by this, let alone the appalling human consequences. We can be proud that mine clearance is being carried out by British experts but, post war, the task will be enormous and deserves our support.

Finally, I have raised the matter before of the deaths of millions of Ukrainians in 1932-33, the Holodomor, literally “by starvation”, caused by Stalin’s ruthless attempt at agricultural collectivisation, but also by the enforced suppression of Ukraine’s spirit of independence, a gruesome foretaste of Russian brutality today. I can hope only that the newly elected Government will give fresh consideration to officially recognising this horrific event as genocide, for that it unquestionably was.