Ukraine: Reparation

Lord Teverson Excerpts

Monday 23rd March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

We continue in our position that those assets should be used to support the people of Ukraine. We will continue to use whatever mechanisms we can to bring this about. It needs to be done in lockstep with our partners and that is the approach we have taken. We will act within the law, because we think that is the right thing to do. However, he is right to raise this and there is money there that should be going to the people of Ukraine—that is what was promised.

[Lord Teverson (LD)]

My Lords, given that Ukraine has gone slightly below the radar because of the Middle East, does the Minister agree that the coverage over the past year was quite negative about Ukraine, but it has turned out more recently that Ukraine does have the cards and is very successful in its resistance to the Russian invasion?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

This is a war that was meant to last three weeks, if that, and look at where we are in 2026, and what we are learning from—and how we are being inspired by—the people of Ukraine. This does need to end. Ukraine is ready for peace; it has said it is ready and willing for a ceasefire. It is Russia that is prolonging this dreadful conflict. We still have close to 20,000 Ukrainian children held in Russia. This is wrong and it could—and should—stop now.