Ambassador Holland recalls Russia's deceit at the OSCE in the weeks leading up to their full-scale invasion of Ukraine and reiterates that UK will support Ukraine to achieve a just and lasting peace.
Thank you, Mister Chair. In just over a week, we will reach yet another unwelcome milestone: three years since Russia launched its illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of its sovereign neighbour, Ukraine.
A war that Russia believed would be over in three days will enter a fourth year. A war Russia launched under the false pretext of protecting Ukrainian civilians has instead caused thousands of them to be killed. A war which we were told would not happen has, since those denials, violated every principle of the Helsinki Final Act and demonstrated contempt for the rules that govern armed conflict.
Let us recall, using their own language, what Russia told us in the days and weeks leading up to their full-scale invasion. On the 20th of January, we were told that "the myth of Russia's alleged impending" invasion had been "hyped up." On the 3rd of February we were told that the speculation of an invasion was "unsubstantiated conjectures". This was an "information campaign being whipped up primarily by the United States and the United Kingdom". On the 10th of February, apparently the facts showed that these were "scare stories" and nothing more than "a puff of propaganda and idle talk".
We all know what happened on the 24th of February. The records of our meetings offer incontrovertible evidence of Russia's disinformation and deceit. It continues to this day, week in and week out.
Mister Chair, on that note we have recently heard Russia single-out on multiple occasions the UK's role in providing military support to Ukraine. The UK makes no secret of our unbreakable support for Ukraine. We have agreed a new 100-year partnership with Ukraine. We are proud to have committed to providing £3 billion of military aid to Ukraine every year for as long as is needed. I want to be clear, though - this is not about fuelling war but supporting an innocent, sovereign and independent State in an ongoing defence against a barbaric onslaught that Russia assured us would never happen.
We have always said that we will support Ukraine to achieve a just and lasting peace. Our priority remains to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to achieve this.
Thank you.
