I wanted to provide a further update on the ongoing situation in addition to the one I provided on Monday
Sanctions
Firstly, it is simply not true to say that the UK Government is not doing all that it can, or that sanctions are ineffective. The economic sanctions imposed on Russia are already proving effective, especially those taken against the Russian central bank. The Russian economy is collapsing with £250 billion wiped off the Russian stock market, and the rouble has plummeted. Russia’s economic isolation is having a severe impact.
The UK has put in place the largest package of sanctions in our history. We are working with our partners to do even more. In the coming days major Russian banks will be removed from SWIFT, and we will continue to go further through additional sanctions legislation. A week ago, Boris Johnson was a lone voice in calling for a ban on SWIFT – I am glad now that there is consensus across the G7 and EU to expel Russia from SWIFT.
Nothing and no one is off the table. We are going after the highest echelons of the Russian elite, targeting President Putin personally and those complicit in his aggression. We must be ready to accept some short-term pain for long-term gain – especially where the West’s dependency on oil & gas is concerned.
The UK will continue to lead the away on pushing for the most extreme possible sanctions.
Helping Ukrainians flee the fighting
The Government has two routes to provide safety to Ukrainians fleeing the fighting:
Family Members of British Nationals resident in Ukraine who need a UK visa can now apply through the temporary location in Lviv, or through Visa Application Centres in Poland, Moldova, Romania and Hungary.
This means that British nationals and any person settled in the UK can bring over Ukrainian family members. We have surged additional capacity in all locations at pace, in anticipation of the invasion.
This includes providing a pop-up Visa Application centre in Rzeszow in Poland, which can offer well over 3,000 appointments per week.
In addition, the usual language requirements and salary thresholds have been removed.
There is no limit on the numbers under this scheme.
Through this policy alone, it is estimated an additional 100,000 Ukrainians could be eligible to come to the UK and access work and public services.
A 24-hour Home Office line for assistance before applying has also been set up: 0300 303 2785 Humanitarian Sponsorship Pathway - a pathway to the UK for Ukrainians who may not have family ties with the UK but who are able to match with individuals, charities, businesses and community groups.
Those who come within the scheme will also be granted leave for an initial twelve months and they will be able to work and access public services. There will be no numerical limit on the scheme, and we will welcome as many Ukrainians as wish to come and have matched sponsors.
Why can’t we just waive visas completely? Because there are very serious security implications: Russian troops are seeking to infiltrate and merge with Ukrainian forces. Extremists are on the ground and in the region too. Given this, and Putin’s willingness to do violence on British soil, we cannot suspend security or biometric checks.
Providing Military Support
The UK has been providing military equipment and support to Ukraine since January. We were one of the first countries to do so. This began at a time when both the UK & US intelligence suggested that an invasion of Ukraine was highly likely – we have long been pushing the EU to join these efforts which I am glad they now have.
The UK has, for a number of years now, worked to support Ukraine's security and defence. The UK has trained over 22,000 members of the Ukrainian army through Operation ORBITAL and, since 2019, assisted Ukraine to build up and sustain a naval capability. In the months prior to the invasion, the UK provided extra support in the form of 2000 anti-armour missiles, which the Ukrainians are now putting to good use. The UK has sent further military support to Ukraine since the invasion
Providing Humanitarian Assistance
We are providing up to £140 million in emergency & humanitarian aid, including necessities & medical supplies. More than 1,000 British troops have been made ready to support NATO and allies in the event of a humanitarian crisis. These troops are at readiness in the UK to support a humanitarian response in the region should it be needed.
No Fly Zone
This is not a simple or easy decision. NATO forces shooting down Russian aircraft or equipment risks a rapid escalation. Quite simply, it would mean a World War with the potential to be a Nuclear War. This is why heads of state, military leaders, intelligence chiefs, war studies experts, senior diplomats, historians etc. are all warning against this escalation.
This does not mean that we won’t do all that we can to help Ukraine. It just means we will do all that we can without risking a Nuclear World War.
