Defence Secretary Statement to the House of Commons - Monday 1 September 2025
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-01)

Statement on Ukraine

With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I’d like to make a statement on Ukraine.

But before I begin, I’d like to inform the House that yesterday we secured a £10 billion contract to supply Norway with at least five Type 26 frigates.

This is the biggest British warship deal in our history…

It strengthens NATO and our Northern flank…

It supports four thousand British jobs and four hundred British businesses for years to come…

And it is showing that this Government is making Defence an engine for growth across the regions and nations of the United Kingdom.

Turning to Ukraine, Madam Deputy Speaker. A few days ago Ukrainians around the world came together to mark a special day…

… 34 years of their country’s independence…

… 34 years as a proud and sovereign nation.

And Ukrainians continue to fight for that freedom with huge courage – military and civilians alike – three-and-a-half years on from the start of Putin’s brutal full-scale invasion.

A secure Europe needs a strong Ukraine.

Their freedom is our freedom. Their values our are values.

And this is why the UK stands with Ukraine, and this is why this House stands united for Ukraine.

And when Ukraine marks their next Independence Day, we all hope to see them celebrate in a time of peace and not in a time of war.

Madam Deputy Speaker, over the summer, the UK with our allies have been working hard to make that hope a reality.

The Prime Minister hosted President Zelenskyy in London….

…. he chaired various Coalition of the Willing meetings with President Macron…

… and he joined European leaders with President Zelenskyy to meet President Trump in Washington DC.

I’ve spoken with Defence Ministers across the Coalition about stepping up military support and about securing a peace after any deal.

And our military leaders have met multiple times to strengthen international contributions to the Coalition, also known now as the ‘Multinational Force Ukraine.’

We welcome President Trump’s dedication to bringing this terrible war to an end.

And we strongly welcome his commitment to make security guarantees, as he says, “very secure” with the Europeans.

At every stage, President Zelenskyy continues his support for a full, unconditional ceasefire and for talks on a lasting peace.

And yet Putin’s response has been to launch some of the largest attacks on Ukraine since the start of the war.

During last week’s onslaught on Kyiv, at least 23 people were killed, four of whom were children, including a two-year-old.

The attack on the British Council was an outrage…

… a Russian missile fired into a civilian area as part of an illegal war, damaging a British government building, and injuring a civilian worker.

Now it appears Putin is refusing a meeting with President Trump and President Zelenskyy.

So, while Ukraine wants peace, Putin wages war.

And President Trump is right.

We must continue pushing for peace… as well as increasing pressure on Putin to come to the table.

So, we support measures to disrupt Russian oil revenues.

And we welcome President Trump’s comments that he is weighing very serious economic sanctions on Russia.

And the Foreign Secretary will have more to say on similar UK action very soon.

Madam Deputy Speaker, on the battlefield intense fighting continues along the front line.

And while Russian military activity has reduced in the Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts, as Russian Ground Forces relocate elements of those forces…

… over the past two weeks, they have advanced in the northern Donetsk region.

Pokrovsk remains Russia’s focus and its forces are using a variety of methods to infiltrate Ukrainian positions.

But Putin continues to make only minor territorial gains and at a huge cost.

The most recent assessment of the UK Defence Intelligence estimates that at the current pace since January, it would take Russia another 4.4 years to seize the Donbas.

At a cost of almost two million more Russian casualties.

Despite this, the increasing escalation of Russia’s devastating drone strikes is a serious concern.

In July, Russia launched approximately six thousand two hundred One Way Attack Drones against Ukraine… another monthly record.

Yet in one night alone over the weekend, Russia launched nearly five hundred drones and forty five missiles.

So Madam Deputy Speaker, the UK Government is stepping up our efforts for Ukraine.

And our priorities are simple:

Support the fight today… secure the peace tomorrow.

On support for the fight today, we are providing £4.5 billion in military aid for Ukraine this year – the highest ever level.

And at the last Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting with over fifty nations and partners in July, I launched a “50-day drive” to accelerate the assistance we’re giving.

50 days on, the UK has delivered to Ukraine:

… nearly five million rounds of munitions…

… around sixty thousand artillery shells, rockets, and missiles…

… two thousand five hundred uncrewed platforms…

… thirty vehicles and engineering equipment…

… and two hundred electronic warfare and air defence systems.

Madam Deputy Speaker, we will not jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the war.

So next week, I will also co-chair the 30th UDCG meeting with Germany’s Minister Pistorius – alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and fifty other allies and partners.

And I will host an E5 Defence Ministers Summit in London next week, where we will be joined by the Ukrainian Defence Minister…

We’re together, we will step up still further our support for Ukraine.

And then to secure the peace tomorrow:

The UK continues – with the French – to lead the Coalition of the Willing.

Two hundred military planners from more than thirty nations have helped design plans in the event of a ceasefire…

… plans to secure the skies and seas… and to train Ukrainian Forces to defend their nation.

This week, I will host Defence Ministers from across the Coalition, with French Minister Lecornu, to further cement contributions to that Coalition…

And for the Armed Forces, I am reviewing readiness levels and accelerating funding to prepare for any possible deployment.

Peace is possible, and we will be ready.

And the Prime Minister and I will ensure the House is fully informed of developments in the proper way.

Madam Deputy Speaker, may I take this opportunity today to pay tribute to one of the driving figures of the Coalition of the Willing…

… Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, whose last day as our UK Chief of the Defence Staff is today.

Tony has had a distinguished 35-year career in the Armed Forces – serving in operations right across the globe.

He’s widely respected – and as a true friend of the Ukrainian people… as President Zelenskyy himself said last week.

I’m sure everyone in the House will join me in thanking Tony for his outstanding service and wish every success to his successor as CDS, Air Chief Marshal Rich Knighton.

And let me end then by saying that while President Putin likes to project strength, he is now weaker than ever.

Since Putin launched his illegal invasion, he has not achieved any of his strategic aims…

… he has lost more than ten thousand tanks and armoured vehicles, and his Black Sea Fleet has been humiliated.

He’s forced to rely on states like Iran for drones, North Korea for frontline troops, and China for technology and components.

He is using 40% of his total government spending on the war, with interest rates now running at 18% and inflation at 9%.

And moreover, Putin now faces a bigger NATO… thirty two nations strong, with an agreement to raise national spending on security to 5% by 2035.

And he faces a Ukraine more determined than ever to control its own future.

Madam Deputy Speaker, a secure Europe needs a strong, sovereign Ukraine.

And we in the UK we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.