Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rory Stewart and Tom Blenkinsop

Wednesday 22nd February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

7. What recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in the Donbass region of Ukraine.

[The Minister of State, Department for International Development (Rory Stewart)]

The United Nations assesses that more than 3 million people are currently victims of the ongoing violence in Ukraine. Our particular concern is about the 800,000 people living along the line of contact, suffering continual violence over the past three years.

[Tom Blenkinsop]

Russian aggression in the east of Ukraine has resulted in the internal displacement of 1.6 million Ukrainians. Russian aggression is now heightening in the east of Ukraine. Apart from seeking a resumption of the ceasefire in the east of Ukraine, will the Government commit to providing additional support to the Ukrainian Government to deal with such numbers of internally displaced people?

[Rory Stewart]

The British Government currently provide support to Ukraine in two ways. First, we provide support directly to the Ukrainian Government and governance programmes. Secondly, through the International Committee of the Red Cross and People in Need, which is a Czech organisation, we provide humanitarian assistance. We must be clear that this conflict in Ukraine was caused and is sustained by Russian aggression.