Meeting of the Parliament 19 March 2026 [Draft]
I thank Kenny Gibson for securing this members’ business debate; however, I am saddened that it is still necessary. The brutal and illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine is on-going after four years—four years of families being torn apart, four years of lives being lost, four years of truly barbaric war crimes and four years of unbreakable solidarity between Scotland and Ukraine.
It is difficult to express the extent of how tragic this war has been. It has resulted in 53,000 civilian casualties, 3.7 million people being internally displaced and 5.9 million people being displaced worldwide. I would like to note a recent United Nations report detailing the extent to which Ukrainian children are being torn from their families and taken to Russian-occupied areas or even further into Russia. The UN verified 1,250 reports of such action, which contravenes international humanitarian law. The reality, though, is that many times that number have been forcibly abducted and brainwashed into becoming Russians. It grieves me to think of the many parents who are simply unaware of their children’s fate and who long for their return to their families.
That is just one of the many reasons why we must continue to support Ukraine in its war efforts and support the 29,000 Ukrainians who have arrived in Scotland. I have been fortunate enough, as convener of the cross-party group on Ukraine, to meet many of the displaced Ukrainians. They are a credit to their country and have shown a level of resilience, courage and community spirit that continues to inspire me and, I am sure, would inspire everyone in the chamber.
In our meetings, I have heard at first hand the struggles that some have experienced when settling in Scotland. One barrier for Ukrainians who settle in Scotland is recognition of their qualifications. We have heard from qualified therapists and nurses who are unable to work in their field, and I urge the Scottish Government to work with the UK Government to address that issue, as doing so would go a very long way towards closing the skills gap in our population.
I was pleased to see President Zelenskyy visit the UK this week to sign a new defence pact with the UK Government, aimed at tackling attack drones. Throughout this invasion, the UK and the European Union have stepped up, and they should be proud of the support that they have given.
I am, however, gravely concerned about the US Government’s decision to ease sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil. Worryingly, reports claim that monthly Russian oil exports could be boosted by £7.5 billion. Make no mistake: any country that purchases this oil is directly funding Putin’s war effort and, in turn, horrendous war crimes.
I am also concerned that the ill-judged conflict between the US and Iran is taking the focus off Ukraine and its struggles—even more so if it results in shortages of missiles and drones to defend Ukraine. In that regard, it is ironic that Trump is now looking to Ukraine to step up and provide its expertise in drone warfare, even as he talks down the country and its war effort.
It is also important that we take steps towards rebuilding Ukraine once the war is won. I am pleased to see that the Scottish Government is taking steps towards that through the signing of a memorandum of understanding, which will promote economic co-operation on trade, investment and economic development between the Scottish and Ukrainian Governments. It is a welcome first step on the road to recovery.
As this will be my last speech before dissolution, I want to thank members across the chamber and the Scottish Government for their consistent solidarity with Ukraine. I truly hope that we will see a peaceful end to the war soon.