Today marks the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm both my own and the Government’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people in their fight against Putin’s tyranny. The UK cannot stand idly by whilst Russia continues to lay siege to this once peaceful country, leading to the loss of countless lives and the displacement of millions. We have the moral duty to respond to these horrific acts, which are not only an attack on the principles of the UN Charter but also amount to war crimes.
We remain committed to providing Ukraine with the tools they need to win, and in January the Prime Minister confirmed that we’ll be providing £2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2024/25, which is an increase of £200 million on the previous two years. This takes the UK’s total military aid package to more than £7 billion, in addition to billions more in other forms of support. We have also trained more than 34,000 Ukrainian personnel since June 2022 and have committed to train up to 10,000 more in the first half of 2024.
On a local level, 250 Ukrainian refugees have been welcomed to the Forest of Dean under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, more than 170 of whom are still living with around 50 local households. I remain extremely grateful to all my constituents who have opened their homes and I am pleased that all Ukrainians who have come to the UK will now be able to apply for 18-month extensions to their visas.
Last year, in my role as Transport Secretary, I also had the privilege of welcoming the then Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK to Lydney Harbour Estate where we visited Mabey Bridge, a leading international provider of high-quality modular steel bridges who worked in collaboration with Network Rail to deliver a £10 million package of support to help Ukraine repair its war-damaged infrastructure.
I am proud that the Forest of Dean and the UK continue to play our part in making sure that Ukraine wins this war. If Putin were successful, it’s clear he wouldn’t stop at Ukraine. So helping Ukraine defend itself helps defend the UK. Putin must fail and we must do all we can to ensure he does.