Andrea Jenkyns MP: The UK is leading the charge to bring the conflict to an end

Andrea Jenkyns MP writes: Over the past year our Parliament, our community, and our Country have come together to condemn Russia’s illegal invasion of their neighbour; with communities raising funds and families opening their homes (and hearts). Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been at the forefront of Britain’s actions, leading a global coalition of free nations, has shown Russia that an attack on the values of freedom and democracy, in Ukraine, will not be tolerated by the international community.

The Russian assault on Ukraine has been ongoing for a year now, and the excellent resilience by the Ukrainians is something we all must acknowledge. This war is a blatant act of aggression, violating the territorial integrity of a European nation in the same way Putin did with Crimea in 2014. However, over the past year he has launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine…an invasion by a permanent member of the UN Security Council into a democratic, sovereign, European nation which presented no threat and wanted only to live peacefully.

The UK is leading the charge to bring the conflict to an end. The Prime Minister has worked with our allies to impose the most severe and coordinated package of sanctions Russia has ever faced. These sanctions include freezing the assets of all Russian banks and preventing Russian companies from borrowing on UK markets, to sanctioning individuals known to support Putin and denying Russia’s national airline access to UK airspace.

The Government continues to push for a full exclusion of Russia from SWIFT (a vital global payments system), a move which has been used before when Iran was disconnected in 2012 as a sanction for their nuclear weapons system. It is believed that as a result, Iran lost almost half of their oil exports revenues and 30 per cent of foreign trade. This sanction could be equally devastating for Russia.

At the time of writing Kyiv is under siege and may fall. It is shocking to see people in a modern European city like Kyiv forced to flee their country because of Russia’s actions, and I echo the words of the former Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in saying “Ukrainians have bravely defended their country. It is their valour that has united the international community. We can’t let them down.”

Whilst the conflict is not on our immediate doorstep, it does remind us of what global Britain, in this post-Brexit age, should stand for; liberty at home and abroad, the respect for national sovereignty, and an outward Britain that leads the world in defending the cause of freedom – as we have done many times throughout our history.

The stranglehold that Putin’s illegal Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has hit our economy hard, causing energy prices to skyrocket and inflation to soar. Alongside cutting inflation, we must continue to invest in homegrown energy. Below our feet we have oil and natural gas that will power homes and businesses long into the future. We must invest, and heavily so, in nuclear power, and fund research and development into mini reactors that can power villages, towns, and cities. We must look to make ourselves energy independent – and above all energy secure.

Britain has a proud history of answering the call of freedom. In the 20th century we stood alone against tyranny in Europe, defending the rights of nationhood and sovereignty. In 2022, we rallied the free world to understand the threats that Russia posed, and what anything but a victory for Ukraine would mean for global security. We must remember that freedom is fragile, and every generation has a duty to renew its commitment to the cause of liberty. An open, global Britain stands as a world leader in that fight for freedom and this is something that should bring great pride.