Russia must pull back, or there will be trouble in the pipeline: article by Liz Truss
In The Telegraph the Foreign Secretary writes the UK and our allies must stand up to and defuse Russian aggression towards Ukraine for a more secure future for all.
Today, I am flying out to Eastern Europe, where the spectre of Russian aggression has loomed for too long.
Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Russia has invaded 2 sovereign states while also waging a vigorous campaign to destabilise other democratic neighbours. Our friends such as Ukraine and Poland have lived in the constant shadow of such threatening behaviour for generations. That is why we must be unyielding in defence of self-determination and sovereignty.
Now is the time to stand up for the right of nations to choose their own security arrangements. Those in and around the Kremlin must be in no doubt that the free world will not look the other way while they mass more than 100,000 battle-ready troops along Ukraine’s borders.
The fact is that Russia only respects strength, so we will maintain a strong response alongside our NATO Allies including the United States. Our concerted push for serious diplomacy, coupled with the threat of severe sanctions on a level not seen before, is critical. The Ukrainian people’s resolute readiness to defend their country has made it clear that any conflict would inevitably become a painful and fraught quagmire.
However, we must not be lulled into a false sense of security by Russia claiming that some troops are returning to their barracks, while in fact the Russian military build-up shows no signs of slowing. There is currently no evidence the Russians are withdrawing from border regions near Ukraine. We must have no illusions that Russia could drag this out much longer in a brazen ploy to spend weeks more – if not months – subverting Ukraine and challenging Western unity.
This is a test of our mettle. We know that Russia has the manpower and equipment to launch an invasion at any moment. We are determined to use our intelligence to deny Moscow the element of strategic surprise. That is why we have called out their attempts to install a puppet government in Kyiv and their plans for a false flag operation. We are also establishing a new Information Unit, tasked with countering the disinformation that malign actors use to target democratic societies.
We cannot allow this situation to become a running sore. That is why we are providing vital support to help our Ukrainian friends defend themselves. We are also ramping up our investment in Ukraine’s future, whether it is by supporting its energy independence or trade in priority industries like technology and clean energy.
With Ukraine’s future as a free democracy at stake, we must judge Russia by their actions. That means following through on what they have said by conducting a comprehensive troop withdrawal. Now more than ever, we must remain vigilant.
This will require credible and candid diplomacy. Last week, I showed we would lead by example in Moscow, where I delivered a tough message – even if my counterpart didn’t like what I had to say – as part of our mission to prevent conflict and bloodshed.
It’s vital that the Russian people and the Russian government hear directly from us about the price they would pay for a further invasion. Not only would there be massive consequences bringing severe economic costs for Russia through an unprecedented package of coordinated sanctions. It would also hit their other strategic interests including Nord Stream 2 - making it unconscionable for the pipeline to go ahead.
Alongside our allies, we are taking a hard-headed approach, which means being ready to accept short-term pain for long-term gain, whether through imposing sanctions or cutting strategic dependence.
But a conflict is by no means inevitable. There is still time for the Kremlin to step back from the brink and choose a different path through diplomacy.
We can have serious discussions based on the principles of commitments entered into and the sovereignty and territory of Ukraine. We must preserve NATO’s open door policy and Ukraine’s right to choose its own path.
There are credible proposals on the table and we stand ready to work through the NATO-Russia Council to advance them. Russia has a choice which can result in a better future for people across Europe and the wider world.
This is a litmus test for free democracies. We must stand up to and defuse Russian aggression now, because if we don’t, it will embolden not only the Kremlin, but aggressors, authoritarians and autocrats across the globe. I will be giving a speech in Eastern Europe to set out further how we can ensure that.
We want to live in a world where nations respect the sovereignty of others and live up to their commitments. By staying strong alongside our allies in support of Ukraine, we can together turn the tide on Russian aggression and build a better, more secure future for all of us.