British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claimed on Monday that the United Kingdom retains international clout, highlighting military support for Ukraine in resisting the Russian invasion.
In a statement to parliament to take stock of the state of affairs at last weekend’s G7 meeting in Japan, Sunak rejected the “idea that Britain is somehow withdrawing from the world stage” or that its “influence is waning”.
“What we have seen in recent months is this Conservative government delivering on the priorities of the British people and exerting our global influence on some of the world’s biggest challenges.”said Sunak, pointing to Ukraine.
“It was a pleasure and a privilege to welcome my friend President (Volodymyr) Zelensky on his return to the UK last week. The presence at the G7 summit was a historic moment”he claimed.
Sunak was “incredibly proud” of London’s role “at the forefront of international support for Ukraine”, providing soldier training, supplies of weapons, tanks and long-range missiles.
“And we are now at the forefront of a coalition to train and equip the Ukrainian Air Force”he added.
Labor Party leader Keir Starmer reiterated his agreement with the government’s position and defended that parliamentary consensus on the issue should continue.
“Let’s support them [Ucrânia] while it lasts, because a decisive victory is the way to a total and just peace,” the leader of the main opposition force stressed.
Starmer suggested that the government declare the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, which was involved in the fighting as a mercenary company, a terrorist organization in parallel with the Russian armed forces.
The Labor leader also warned that no one in the UK has yet been fined for breaching sanctions imposed on Russia since the war began, calling for sanctions to be “in practice and not just in force”.
Source: DN
