UK pledging ongoing support for Ukraine, says Sherwood MP Mark Spencer

The House of Commons and the country at large stands together in its wholehearted condemnation of the actions of the Kremlin against the sovereign and independent state of Ukraine. The British Government is clear, Putin must fail.

The Prime Minister, the Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, and the Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, are working with international colleagues and their fellow government ministers to help implement the PM’s six-point plan to help Ukraine. This includes increasing the economic pressure on Russia through sanctions, supporting Ukraine’s self-defence and strengthening security and resilience amongst NATO countries.

Since the Prime Minister announced his plan, the government has been pushing forward to deliver it.

Since the Russian incursion, the government has been at the forefront of the international economic response. We were among the first countries to impose sanctions on the Russian state. We were the country corralling support to remove Russia from the Swift payment mechanism. This week, the Home Secretary brought to the House the Economic Crime Bill which seeks to tackle the issue of dirty money in the United Kingdom.

And on March 7, we were joined by the Prime Ministers of the Netherlands and Canada in announcing a landmark solidarity pact that is going to mobilise sustained and co-ordinated political, humanitarian, economic and defence support to the Ukrainian cause.

At the time of writing, the UK’s total offer of support to the crisis sits at around £400m. But the United Kingdom’s support is not limited at a financial offering. The UK Government is also one of the leading voices in joining the largest referral to the International Criminal Court in its history. The government is hoping to expedite proceedings and force an investigation into these events.

The UK has supplied Ukraine with machinery to aid its self-defence efforts and has recently provided vital medical supplies.

My ministerial colleagues and I are continually focused on our response to events as they unfold. The Prime Minister, the government, the House of Commons, and the whole United Kingdom stands with President Zelenskyy, his government and the Ukrainian people at this time.

We pledge our support in whatever way we can.