To ask His Majesty’s Government what discussions they are holding with the government of the United States of America on measures to de-escalate the conflict in Ukraine.
My Lords, the UK fully supports President Trump’s efforts to end Russia’s illegal war, and we remain in regular contact with the US at every level. Last week, G7 Foreign Ministers agreed on the need for an immediate ceasefire and that the current line of contact should be the starting point for negotiations. We continue to work with the US and international partners to ratchet up the pressure on Putin, to force him to engage in meaningful discussions that result in just and lasting peace.
My Lords, for over three years I have argued in the House for delaying Ukraine NATO membership, non-nuclear weapon status for barrier states stretching from Estonia to Georgia, a major powers treaty on Ukraine neutrality and the Russian ask, a deal on Donetsk and Luhansk. Why not think out of the box, face reality on the ground, join Trump’s meaningful attempts in promoting a Russian transition from quasi-autocracy to democracy and, in doing so, derail an opportunist, nomadic Russia’s links with an increasing assertive China, all in favour of promoting post-Putin Russia’s links to the West, which is where it belongs?
I do not think the House is with the noble Lord on his plan. He has an idea for a settlement that he has long held close to his heart and put to this Chamber on several occasions. He knows that we disagree fundamentally with one another on this issue. We believe it is for the Ukrainians to decide when the conditions are right, whether they are prepared to negotiate and on what basis. That will remain this Government’s position.
My Lords, I have been in the noble Baroness’s position several times over, answering that particular question from the noble Lord. Bearing in mind the tragedy that is Ukraine, one of the real tragedies we have seen in diplomacy is the declining influence of the United Nations to convene some kind of negotiation. In this regard, alongside the United States, Turkey has played an important role. It is a NATO partner, and today President Zelensky is visiting Ankara. What direct engagement have we had with President Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan?
Sadly, the noble Lord is right in what he says about the United Nations. We are where we are. We believe the United Nations remains the single most important multilateral organisation we have, and we would be inventing it if it did not exist.
We cannot allow ourselves, because of the situation we face with the politics at the UN, to be paralysed by the truth that the noble Lord has just outlined. We are very close to all partners who are endeavouring to move this along and create some conditions and opportunities for important dialogue to take place. We speak closely with our friends and allies in Turkey and with all those others who are endeavouring, as we are, to support those who wish to see peace in Ukraine and an end to Russia’s illegal war.
My Lords, will the Government make clear that we support Ukraine and that we stand by the Budapest memorandum, which has been so flagrantly defiled by the Russians? In that context, will we first transfer Russian assets to support the defence of Ukraine, and will we recognise that that £30 billion will be necessary unless peace can be agreed? Peace can be agreed—and the Americans have to accept this—only on terms that the Ukrainians can accept; it cannot be imposed by a bilateral agreement between the United States and Russia.
There is no peace without the agreement of the Ukrainians; that is absolutely clear. We support President Trump’s efforts towards peace. It is important that we support all those who are trying to bring this dreadful war to a conclusion. On the issue of Russian assets, we are doing everything we can to make sure that the money needed for Ukraine gets there and that Russia pays for the damage it has caused.
My Lords, will my noble friend join me in condemning the Russian attack this week on the Polish railway system? Is this not an example of how Putin may talk of peace but is doing the opposite in attacking one of our key allies, Poland?
I condemn the attack on the Polish railway. The attacks on Ukraine grow ever more deadly, and the attacks on Ukrainian energy supplies are particularly egregious as we approach the middle of winter. Putin’s actions belie the idea that he is genuinely seeking peace at the moment.
My Lords, I too could not disagree more with the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, because it is very clear that peace will never be achieved in Ukraine until Putin feels pressured to end the war. Can the Minister confirm that the UK will at least maintain the value in real terms of our military support to Ukraine next year?
My Lords, will the Minister accept my thanks for the emphasis she put on the United Nations? Does she recognise that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a fundamental breach of the United Nations charter agreed in 1945, and that the use of the Russian veto and some other vetoes on the Security Council to prevent it doing anything useful to bring an end to this war is, in political terms at any rate, an abuse of its position?
I agree with that. The politics of the UN are complex, as the noble Lord well knows, but it is clear to see at the moment that in regard to Ukraine the Security Council will not be the route through to a solution, which is why we have the coalition of the willing and other networks being established to try to get negotiations—notwithstanding what is happening at the UN—to make some progress and to bring about a conclusion to this deadly war.
My Lords, does the Minister agree that the precedent that would be set by allowing Russia to keep any of its ill-gotten territorial gains would pose a far greater long-term threat to international peace and security than doing everything we can financially and militarily to support Ukraine to repel it?