I had decided not to write an article about the horrific invasion of Ukraine, perpetrated by President Putin and his regime, as we are all watching the horrific events unfold on rolling news cycles and in the newspapers. There is, however, no escape that Ukraine and Europe itself are in a terrible, almost incomprehensible, situation and I should be providing reassurance to my constituents - to you - that everything will be okay. I cannot do that, but I can reassure you that the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, and Defence Ministers are doing everything they can to avoid the invasion and war in Ukraine escalating further.
I want to emphasise how proud I am to be British at this moment in time. I know that things have been bumpy domestically over the past few weeks and, goodness knows, I have been as irritated as many of you. However, I have been really impressed by the Prime Minister’s grip on this global crisis, as well as that of the Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, who has really come to the fore. The Prime Minister has genuinely played a leading role in encouraging – pushing - Europe to impose the most severe and coordinated package of sanctions Russia has ever faced in response to Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. When constituents complained that our initial sanctions did not go far enough, they were right, but there would be little point in the UK imposing tougher sanctions alone without the co-ordinated effort of all EU countries (and, of course, the USA). We now have a remarkably tough and punitive bevy of sanctions, and this includes Belarus for its complicity in Putin's invasion.
Yesterday (Wednesday 2nd March), I attended a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office briefing on the sanctions, their envisaged effect and reasoning behind them. It was fascinating and clear that a lot of thought (and psychology) has gone into the how/when/why/what. In summary, the sanctions are to coerce a change in behaviour in the Kremlin although we are all aware, of course, that this will only really be achieved with a change of the regime and, as I said in the Chamber to the Foreign Secretary earlier this week, the Russian people and those in the Kremlin who disagree with Mr. Putin need to do whatever it takes to stop him and bring their country back from the brink.
At lunchtime I met up with a group of children from Rye Community Primary School who were on an educational visit to the Houses of Parliament. It was great to see them up in London and how they ‘loved every bit of Parliament’. The issue of Ukraine was on their minds, and they asked some really insightful questions about NATO, how they could help Ukrainian people, and about refugees in particular. One young chap also asked why women and children could leave Ukraine, but the men had to stay and fight – a real topic of discussion for another day methinks! Having just attended the FCDO briefing earlier, I was able to explain that donating money was the best way to help as Poland, in particular, whilst grateful for donations of food, blankets, and so on was feeling overwhelmed by the numbers arriving. Donating money means that things that are actually needed can be purchased and provided. I asked Ministers earlier this week if they would be setting up a fund to which we could donate, and I am pleased that the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal through the Disaster Emergency Committee was announced yesterday; the Government has promised to match pound for pound up to £20 million donated by the public (dec.org.uk), which is very welcome.
We have responded with humanitarian aid and will provide refuge to Ukrainians, and I welcome the Prime Minister’s recent announcement that the UK is sending an additional £40 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, bringing the total amount of UK aid pledged this year to £140 million. As regards refugees, I, along with a number of other Conservative MPs, recently wrote to the Prime Minister urging him to seek a flexible and pragmatic approach to those Ukrainians wishing to gain temporary refuge in the UK, so I was happy to see the humanitarian support package announced by the Home Secretary earlier this week. With changes already announced that will allow an estimated one hundred thousand close family members of British nationals or other people in the UK to come here immediately, the Government is offering more assistance. The Ukrainian Family Scheme will significantly expand the ability of British Nationals and people settled in the UK to bring all immediate family members to the country for free i.e., adult parents, grandparents, children over eighteen, and siblings. The Home Office is also opening a Ukrainian Sponsorship Humanitarian Visa Offer which will provide a route to the UK for Ukrainians who do not have family ties here, and they will be matched with individuals, businesses, community organisations, and Local Authorities who are willing and able to act as a sponsor.
As I explained to our primary school children, Ukrainian people are refugees fleeing war and danger so we must be compassionate and do all that we can to provide help and a safe haven for them.
I wholeheartedly agree with the Prime Minister that Putin must fail. There can be no alternative. I know that our country, in unity with Ukraine and our friends and allies around the world, is using all possible means at its disposal and is urgently engaged to this end. If you would like to read more about the sanctions imposed on Russia (and Belarus), the military and security aid provided by us to Ukraine, our work with NATO and for refugees, please do see my statement on the Ukraine Crisis on my website here: https://www.sallyannhart.org.uk/news/statement-ukraine-crisis.
