UK’s Sunak Calls for Long-Term Security Assurance for Ukraine on War Anniversary

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty with members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as they observe a minute's silence to mark the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, outside 10 Downing Street, London, on Feb. 24, 2023. (Jordan Pettitt/PA Media)

The international community should support Ukraine with long-term military and security assurances, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on the first anniversary of the Russian invasion.

The conflict began exactly one year ago, when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

At a virtual meeting with G-7 leaders on Friday, Sunak said the security assurance is necessary “to send a strong message” to Russian President Vladimir Putin that the global support for Ukraine is “enduring,” according to a Downing Street spokesman.

“Discussing the global impact of Russia’s war, the prime minister said the Russian assault on Ukraine wasn’t just a Euro-Atlantic problem, but an attack on universal principles,” the spokesman added.

“Ukraine’s resilience and courage since the start of the full-scale invasion had been extraordinarily inspiring,” Sunak was quoted as saying.

Downing Street said G-7 leaders “reiterated their unfaltering support for Ukraine and agreed on the need to continue to intensify military aid.”

Earlier, Sunak led a minute’s silence from Downing Street to mark the anniversary. He was joined outside No. 10 by his wife Akshata Murthy, Kyiv’s ambassador to Britain Vadym Prystaiko, and dozens of Ukrainian troops being trained by the UK.

Britain has been one of the staunchest supporters of Ukraine’s resistance.

Last year the UK provided £2.3 billion ($2.8 billion) in military aid to Ukraine—the largest package of support of any European nation and second only to the United States. The government has also pledged £1.5 billion in economic and humanitarian support.

In January, the UK became the first country to pledge advanced Western main battle tanks to Ukraine when the prime minister authorised the delivery of 12 Challenger 2 tanks.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace meets Ukrainian soldiers during a visit to Bovington Camp in Dorset, England, on Feb. 22, 2023. (Ben Birchall - Pool/Getty Images)

Fighter Jets

Sunak’s government has so far not committed to providing Ukraine with fighter jets, arguing that it takes too long for pilots to train on the Royal Air Force’s F-35 and Typhoon jets.

But the prime minister is under increasing pressure from members of Parliament, including his immediate predecessors Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, to send fighter jets to Ukraine.

During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to London earlier this month, Sunak announced plans to train Ukrainian pilots to fly NATO-standard advanced fighter jets, and Downing Street said Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is “actively looking at whether we send jets.”

Last week, however, Wallace claimed it could be years before the UK gives any planes to Ukraine, suggesting Zelenskyy may even have to wait until the war with Russia is over.

A Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jet in an undated file photo. (SAC Charlotte Hopkins/MoD/PA)

Talking to Times Radio on Friday, Wallace said that Britain is prepared to supply jets to eastern European NATO allies to enable them to release their Soviet-era planes to Ukraine.

He said that backfilling allies with the UK’s jets to free up their own MiG-29s or Su-24s would be a quicker way to bolster Kyiv’s defences than providing them with British Typhoons.

“They are already configured to fight in a NATO way, where of course Ukraine isn’t,” he said.

Wallace said the UK is taking steps to rebuild its munitions stockpiles that have been depleted by the war and have “borne the brunt of defence cuts” in recent decades.

“We have now started to place orders to replenish them and where we haven’t placed orders we have started the work to make sure we have the supply chain or find alternative sources,” he told Sky News.

Support Not ‘Time-Limited’

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced a new package of sanctions on Russia.

Export bans have been extended to include hundreds of goods, including aircraft parts, radio equipment, and electronic components that can be used by the Russian military-industrial complex.

The UK also sanctioned senior executives at the Russian state-owned nuclear power company Rosatom, as well as bosses at Russia’s two largest defence companies and four banks.

Cleverly said: “Ukrainians are turning the tide on Russia but they cannot do it alone. That is why we must do more to help Ukraine win.

“Today we are sanctioning the elites who run Putin’s key industries and committing to prohibit the export to Russia of every item Russia has been found using on the battlefield.”

The foreign secretary also urged other countries to send a clear message that they will continue to support Ukraine until its sovereignty and territorial integrity are restored.

Speaking at the United Nations Security Council on Friday, Cleverly said: “One year on, one year into this terrible, terrible war, let us in this chamber send a clear message. Our support for Ukraine is not and will never be time-limited. Our defence of the U.N. Charter is not and will never be time-limited.”

Cross-Party Support

It is a cross-party consensus in the UK Parliament that Britain needs to provide continued support to Ukraine’s war effort.

The main opposition Labour Party has vowed to “stand in lockstep” with the Conservative government on assisting Ukraine with its defence.

Speaking in Cardiff on Friday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “I had the privilege last week of being in Ukraine and to see first-hand the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people was really humbling, and I think today is a day for repeating what I said to them, which is whatever other political divides there are in the UK, we stand united in our support of Ukraine. Putin must be defeated in Ukraine.”

PA Media contributed to this report.