On Monday after a series of “false flag” disinformation stunts the Kremlin announced that Russian troops would enter regions of Ukraine, whose independence they chose to recognise.
This followed an inflammatory speech in which President Putin denied that Ukraine had any “tradition of genuine statehood” and claimed that it could pose a “direct threat to the security of Russia”,
Deployment of force onto sovereign Ukrainian territory would amount to a renewed invasion, following the illegal annexation of 2014. I fear that in denying Ukraine’s legitimacy and pretending its existence presents a threat to Russia, Putin is establishing the pretext for a wider offensive by the nearly 200,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders.
As the Prime Minister has stated “If the worst happens, a European nation of 44 million men, women and children would become the target of a full-scale war of aggression waged without a shred of justification…..Unless the situation changes, the best efforts of the United States, Britain, France, Germany and other allies to avoid conflict through patient diplomacy may be in vain.”
My colleagues the Defence Secretary and the Chief of the Defence Staff; the Foreign Secretary; the French President and German Chancellor have all visited Moscow. The Prime Minister and US President have both also been speaking to President Putin
Together they have explored every avenue for diplomacy. Nor will we give up on the attempt - no matter how bleak the picture.
Britain has endeavoured to help Ukraine to deter the threat: training 22,000 soldiers, supplying 2,000 anti-tank missiles, and providing funding for energy independence. They are a determined and courageous people.
A package of economic sanctions has already been announced, our support for Ukraine is clear, as is our determination to work with our NATO partners - including reinforcing British forces in support of our NATO allies where required.
I fear President Putin’s speech echoes an earlier era with his apparent belief that “might is right”.
The actions of the Kremlin are truly alarming. The people of Ukraine want nothing more than to be left in peace to determine their own future. We want the same.
These recent events prove yet again the ongoing vital need for us to work alongside our NATO allies and to continue to invest in our armed forces so that we can be certain that we can deter threats to our allies and ourselves.
Putin prides himself on being a master of divide and rule - instead his actions are bringing the West and the world together to confront the threat.
