Meeting of the Parliament 05 March 2025
Absolutely. That is really important. I agree with Neil Bibby.
I want to reflect on a number of things that members raised. We cannot countenance the warning of inaction in the face of aggression. We should give consideration to what happens with Russian assets, €300 billion-worth of which are deposited in Europe. We should also consider the growing European commitments to defence and security.
There has not been much mention today, either here or in the UK media, of what I consider to be the historic announcement by Germany yesterday—probably the biggest single financial announcement that has been made by a German Government since the second world war—of new spending of €500 billion on defence and infrastructure. Germany understands the scale that we will have to aim for. That lesson about the scale of the challenge that we are facing needs to be learned by other Governments, including our own.
We have heard about the importance of a just peace a number of times. When I hear some people talking about securing peace for Ukraine, I fear that it sounds a lot like surrender with a bow on top. We need to remember that Russia can end this war tomorrow; it just needs to withdraw its troops and leave. I agree that it should pay for what it has done to Ukraine. [Applause.]
Last week, we marked three years since Russia’s brutal full-scale attack on Ukraine. How much we owe to the Ukrainians who resisted at Hostomel right at the start. Just imagine what would have happened if the Russians had managed to take that airfield and proceeded with their plans. The Ukrainians resisted, they stood, they defeated the Russians at Hostomel, and the rest is history. They have been able to withstand the Russian aggression at great cost.
We are repulsed by the appalling and shocking violence that we have seen, but we remain inspired by the on-going strength, resilience and bravery of the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian armed forces. That includes all those who are fighting on the front lines, the families who have had to leave their homes and loved ones behind in search of safety elsewhere, and the people who are having to go to the bunkers for safety because of the daily rocket attacks on cities throughout Ukraine.
We must realise the significance of the moment that we face.