Sunak will urge NATO allies to hold their nerve against Vladimir Putin’s aggression and call for the doubling down of military support for Ukraine in its fight for freedom
By David Churchill, Chief Political Correspondent For The Daily Mail22:30 GMT 17 Feb 2023 , updated 10:40 GMT 18 Feb 2023
- Rishi Sunak will call on Western allies to hold their nerve against Russia’s war
- At global security conference he will highlight UK’s £2.3bn help for Ukraine
Rishi Sunak will today call on Western allies to hold their nerve against Vladimir Putin‘s aggression and ‘double down’ on military support for Ukraine.
The Prime Minister will issue the rallying cry at a global security conference in the run up to the one-year anniversary of Russia‘s invasion.
He will stress that sustaining Kyiv‘s war effort is not just about Ukraine’s security and sovereignty but that of ‘every nation’ because of the ‘broader threat to everything we believe in’.
He will highlight Britain’s £2.3billion contribution since the war broke out, including battle tanks, advanced air defence systems, military training and longer-range missiles.
The level of support given to Ukraine by the international community last year will have to be matched within a matter of weeks, not months, he will warn.
And he will lobby for a new Nato charter to protect Ukraine from future Russian aggression, guaranteeing further support.
He is expected to tell the conference in Germany: ‘Now is the moment to double down on our military support.
‘When Putin started this war, he gambled that our resolve would falter. Even now he is betting we will lose our nerve.
‘But we proved him wrong then and we will prove him wrong now. We need to do more to boost Ukraine’s long-term security.
‘We must give them the advanced, Nato-standard capabilities that they need for the future.’
He will add: ‘What is at stake in this war is even greater than the security and sovereignty of one nation. It’s about the security and sovereignty of every nation.
‘Because Russia’s invasion, its abhorrent war crimes and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric are symptomatic of a broader threat to everything we believe in.’
Mr Sunak is hoping to meet the French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference later today.
The conference, dominated by Nato members, brings together leaders from like-minded countries to discuss security issues.
US vice president Kamala Harris is due to address the gathering before Mr Sunak.
The one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is next Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged world leaders to speed up support for his nation when he addressed the conference by video link yesterday.
Kyiv fears crucial supplies will arrive too slowly to defend against new offensives.
‘We need to hurry up,’ Mr Zelensky said. ‘We need speed – speed of our agreements, speed of our delivery… speed of decisions to limit Russian potential.’
He said there was no alternative because lives were on the line.
Speaking after Mr Zelensky, Mr Macron urged allies to ‘intensify our support’ for Ukraine to aid its forces in launching a counter-offensive.
Mr Scholz insisted German support was ‘designed to last’ but took a veiled swipe at other allies over faltering efforts to deliver promised tanks to Ukraine.
Berlin has vowed to send some of the most modern armaments from its military stocks but is struggling to persuade allies to do the same.
‘Those who can send such battle tanks should really do so now,’ Mr Scholz told the conference.
Ukraine’s pleas for fighter jets have so far fallen on deaf ears.
“We need to hurry up,’ Mr Zelensky said. ‘We need speed – speed of our agreements, speed of our delivery… speed of decisions to limit Russian potential.’
He said there was no alternative because lives were on the line.”
The Mail; home of the poisonous putlerite toad Peter Hitchens, is finally getting its arse in gear, with a flurry of articles supporting Ukraine.
Hitchens still has his drivel in today’s paper, but it is less strident and does not spout kremkrapp talking points. For now anyway.
I guess that if enough readers respond appropriately to the poison that the Kremlin ass giver Hitchens spouts, even he will be forced to rethink his ways.
In Britain there are some long-standing and persistent putlerite vermin that badly need dealing with. On the far left are JeremIRA CorbLenin, Seumas Milne, George Galloway, Diane Abbott, Craig Murray etc. And on the far right: Nigel Farage, Peter Hitchens, James Delingpole, David Icke etc.
I used to think they should be locked up. These days, as accessories to genocide, a trial with a rope option might be more appropriate.
“Those who can send such battle tanks should really do so now,’ Mr Scholz told the conference.”
What’s wrong with Scholz … and Macron? Did they discover balls between their legs?
“Ukraine’s pleas for fighter jets have so far fallen on deaf ears.”
But, essentially, we are playing the same sick game as even before this war started, which is the game of:
No, we’re looking into it, we’re contemplating, we’re discussing, maybe, yes.
No, we’re looking into it, we’re contemplating, we’re discussing, maybe, yes.
No, we’re looking into it, we’re contemplating, we’re discussing, maybe, yes.
No, we’re looking into it, we’re contemplating, we’re discussing, maybe, yes.
No, we’re looking into it, we’re contemplating, we’re discussing, maybe, yes.
No, we’re looking into it, we’re contemplating, we’re discussing, maybe, yes.
Never mind the continuous death, suffering, destruction and the worldwide fallout that this war is causing.