Speaking at the Munich summit, UK PM apprised the gathering that his country was the first to provide tanks to Ukraine and will be the first to aid them by supplying longer-range weapons…reports Asian Lite News
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said at the Munich Security Conference that the United Kingdom is training Ukrainian soldiers to defend their country and will also help any nation to provide planes to Ukraine. However, he did not make any commitment to send fighter jets to Ukraine any time soon. He said that the UK will become the first nation to send long-range weapons to a war-torn country.
“When Putin started this war, he gambled that our resolve would falter. Even now, he is betting we will lose our nerve,” Sunak said in his address. He said that the UK will always be on the side of “freedom, democracy and the rule of law. The UK prime minister exuded confidence in his willingness to work towards the collective security of Europe, despite no longer being a part of the European Union.
“Security of the European continent will always be our priority,” Sunak asserted.
Speaking at the Munich summit, UK PM apprised the gathering that his country was the first to provide tanks to Ukraine and the first to train Ukrainian pilots and marines. However, he stated that there is a need for a “military strategy and a political strategy. Ukraine needs and deserves the assurance,” Sunak said adding that the UK will be the first nation to aid Ukraine by supplying longer-range weapons. “UK is ready to help any country to provide Ukraine planes they need today but we must also train Ukrainian pilots to use advanced jets.”
He held Russia accountable for war crimes in Bucha, Irpin and Mariupol.
UK PM also said that ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Ukraine needs to get long-term assurance and a new NATO charter must be forged to help protect Ukraine from future Russian aggression.
“Now is the moment to double down on our military support for Ukraine,” he asserted. This comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on a trip to London last week requested UK to provide Ukraine with more defence weapons, especially fighter jets.
On Saturday, at the Munich Security Conference, the leaders of various allies of Ukraine, including US Vice President Kamala Harris pledged support to Ukraine. Sunak defended Ukraine saying that Kyiv “is suffering unprovoked aggression” and “its people have been killed.”
Referring to China, Sunak said that Beijing needs to play a responsible role when it comes to a situation like Ukraine war. The key focus at the Munich Security Conference is the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the support the Western allies are giving to Ukraine. The key speakers on Saturday included the American Vice President Kamala Harris and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak amongst others.
Pushing for a new Nato charter to protect Ukraine from future Russian aggression, he is expected to say: “We must demonstrate that we’ll remain by their side, willing and able to help them defend their country again and again.”
Last year, the UK provided military aid worth £2.3bn, including tanks, other armoured vehicles, and anti-tank missiles. No 10 has committed to matching or exceeding that level of support in 2023.
A minute’s silence will be held at 11am on Friday 24 February to mark the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.
G7 to support Ukraine, impose more sanctions on Russia
The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations have agreed to continue supporting Ukraine and impose more sanctions on Russia, as the ongoing conflict approaches the one-year mark, reported NHK World News.
Japan hosted the G7 meeting in Munich, Germany on Saturday, with deliberations being held on the sidelines of the international security conference. Japan is this year’s G7 chair, and the meeting was the first foreign ministerial conference hosted by Tokyo in that capacity. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba was also invited to the meet.
“I took part in a G7 ministerial meeting at the invitation of Japanese FM Hayashi Yoshimasa. We focused on everything needed for Ukraine’s victory in 2023. There will be rapid deliveries of weapons and new sanctions. Russia must realise we won’t tire of countering its aggression,” Dmytro Kuleba tweeted on Saturday.
The ministers confirmed that they will call on countries supporting Russia to stop doing so. They also said that they will actively work with Ukraine, NHK World News reported.
Further, according to the report, they condemned Russia for continuing to attack civilians and key infrastructure facilities in Ukraine. They said they will hold Moscow accountable in accordance with international law, NHK World News reported.
The top diplomats said they share the view that it is important to maintain international order based on the rule of law.
Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa brought up the issue of North Korea’s missile launches.
Further, according to NHK World News, Hayashi said the unprecedented rate of Pyongyang’s ballistic missile test launches poses an imminent threat to the safety of Japan and a serious challenge to international peace and security.
He described the North’s actions as totally unacceptable, saying he would work closely with the other G7 members to respond to the threats.
Hayashi also expressed a willingness to work with the G7 nations to address other matters, such as the situation in the Indo-Pacific region. Japan is scheduled to host a G7 summit in Hiroshima in May.
