Meeting of the Parliament 05 March 2025
I associate myself with Stephen Kerr’s comments. Britain has an important role in the world in what is often termed “soft power”. His Majesty the King has very clearly demonstrated his support for Ukraine and his desire to play a role in the diplomatic process as we move forward.
As I have mentioned, we must now reckon with fundamental challenges as the situation in and around Ukraine takes on a new phase. In that spirit, I greatly welcome the First Minister’s statement and comments yesterday, particularly the comment that there has been a shift in the need to prioritise our security interests, and his willingness for the Scottish Government to work with the UK Government in whatever support is required to drive forward the diplomatic and defence efforts that the Prime Minister is taking forward.
In that sense of working together, it is important that we continue to focus on how Scotland can play its role. Many direct questions that were asked in the chamber yesterday deserve further explanation. For example, my colleague Paul Sweeney touched on the aerospace, defence, marine and space industry leadership group in Scottish Enterprise, and called for a re-examination of the investment rules of the Scottish National Investment Bank on how we might drive forward defence production in Scotland.
Presiding Officer, I am conscious of the time. This has been an important debate. For the rest of our lives, none of us will forget the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian servicemen and women, and the people of Ukraine, over the past three years. They have shown an unshakeable determination to defend their lives, their country, their way of life and the total commitment in that country to the values of democracy and the rules-based order that we all, as democrats, hold dear. They are an example to follow, and I hope that the decisions that we take in the coming period will honour their example.
18:04