Notes

What does Russias war in Ukraine mean for UK?
Last week Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was time to "squeeze Russia", as he announced what he called "the largest and most severe package of economic sanctions" the country had ever seen. All the expeditionary wars involved victories that came, generally, in a matter of weeks, sometimes days. As a result, recent military planners assumed the amount of ammunition required and preparation needed would be limited. Russia has now dug in and consolidated in eastern Ukraine, consequently, a war of attrition is under way. If the West became involved in a war with Russia, it is likely to be protracted, meaning supplies would have to be maintained for potentially months or even years. Prof Clarke says the 4,000 NLAW anti-tank weapons provided to Ukraine by the UK are a good example of what can happen.

For now the UK appears likely to stick to sanctions rather than engaging in direct military action unless a Nato ally is attacked, although some Conservative MPs have called for the Government to provide air support to Ukraine. A senior European Union official has denied that member states are discussing financial coercion to force Hungary to agree on financing for Ukraine. All the expeditionary wars involved victories that came, generally, in a matter of weeks, sometimes days. And for every shirker or draft-dodger, others might take pride in national duty, be it manning a machine gun post or cleaning the streets. The decline in manufacturing means there are far fewer factories that can be converted to make arms, as happened in the Second World War, when car makers churned out Spitfire parts.
Rossiya, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Ban are the banks in question. But Ukraine is not a part of Nato, so the Western response to Russia’s invasion will initially focus on sanctions. Russia’s actions have drawn widespread condemnation from the West, including from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who addressed the UK with a televised statement on Thursday. Russia is continuing to bombard Ukraine with missiles, with heavy fire directed at the city of Kharkiv.

Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
These took place far away from the front lines of Russia’s war, in civilian populated areas. The intensity, regularity and indiscriminate nature of Russia’s attacks may violate international humanitarian law, is extremely concerning and must stop. The documents show the Pentagon has ordered new equipment for the base, including ballistic shields designed to protect military personnel from attacks on “high value assets”. Construction on a new housing facility for American forces working on the site will begin in June.


The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has pledged to make the findings of Moscow’s crash investigation public. He said the UK and allies will launch a "massive package" of sanctions to "hobble" Russia's economy. If Russia did decide to invade Ukraine, the senior Western intelligence official said large numbers of people would be displaced.

‘Your country needs you’
Mr Zelenskyy has called for public officials to disclose their incomes to increase transparency and eliminate corruption as Ukraine tries to meet the stringent requirements for its bid to join the European Union. Hungary previously said it would block further financial aid to Ukraine, but this morning suggested it was ready to compromise after the EU reportedly drew up plans to hit Budapest's economy. Phillips P OBrien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews, wrote in an analysis piece that the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House could see the US "neuter" the Western military alliance.


"Ukraine brutally illustrates that regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them. This is not the first time Gen Sir Patrick has warned of the increasing threat of war and expressed concerns about Britain's lack of readiness. Britain should train a "citizen army" ready to fight a war on land in the future, the head of the Army has said. https://euronewstop.co.uk/how-did-boris-johnson-travel-to-ukraine.html will continue to work with Ukraine and our international partners for a just and sustainable peace. It is regrettable - and sadly predictable - that we must gather today to condemn Russia’s latest wave of aerial attacks against the Ukrainian people.


Nato has a strong partnership with Ukraine (even though the country is not an official member) so it’s not surprising prime minister Boris Johnson has also joined in with Western allies in calling for an immediate de-escalation from Putin. He has not been the only one to criticise cuts, with former CGS General Lord Dannatt saying the UK risked a repeat of the 1930s unless it invested more in its armed forces last week. The MP said that might be because the prime minister when growing up had not experienced the existential threat posed by the old Soviet Union during the Cold War era.

He talked about the need for the UK's "pre-war generation" to prepare for the possibility of war and said that was a "whole-of-nation undertaking". We will continue to work with Ukraine and our international partners for a just and sustainable peace. Unnamed Indian government sources have suggested India wants to distance itself from Russia, according to Reuters news agency. Another potential threat could come from anti-war politicians, whom Kremlin propagandists might seek to incite.
The UK gets just 5-6% of its gas imports from Russia, according to analysis of government data by think tank ECIU, so supplies are not likely to be so directly affected. Hundreds of captured prisoners have been freed in dozens of exchanges throughout the war, but Russia’s claims that Ukraine shot down a plane ferrying Ukrainian detainees has thrown the future of such exchanges into doubt. Kyiv has not denied the claims outright, but officials have appeared to question whether its POWs were on board. Turkey’s parliament ratified Sweden’s Nato membership on Tuesday after more than a year of delays that upset western efforts to show resolve over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Turkey will get 40 new F-16s and upgrades to 79 of the jets in its existing fleet, the state department said in a news release. One person was killed and another injured in Russian drone strikes in Beryslav, said Oleksandr Prokudin, regional governor of Kherson oblast.

Meanwhile, other Western defence sources have expressed concern about an increase in signals intelligence and "chatter" being monitored which could signal Russia's preparedness to invade. A Ukrainian presidential adviser said that more than 40 soldiers had died and dozens more were wounded, but this has not been independently confirmed. After an uneasy peace with Ukraine, Moscow has sent forces into the Baltics, clashing with British troops based there to protect Nato’s eastern flank. If the West became involved in a war with Russia, it is likely to be protracted, meaning supplies would have to be maintained for potentially months or even years.
UK nationals were advised two weeks ago to leave Ukraine while commercial flights were still available. Those remaining have again been urged to leave Ukraine immediately - if they judge it is safe to do so. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a "catastrophe for our continent", Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said. The Week is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher.


While analysts say a direct conflict between NATO and Russia is unlikely, it is possible - particularly in the Baltic states, or Finland. Throughout the Cold War, Britain's military planners thought long and hard about what was needed to beat the Soviets if World War Three ever broke out. NATO and the Ministry of Defence will be studying the battlefields of Ukraine closely to work out what it would mean if British forces ever became involved in a fight with the Russians. He said the UK's "baffling" decision to hold back sanctions until after Russia's incursion into Ukraine had not deterred Mr Putin. The only airlines still flying from the UK, Wizz Air and Ryanair, have suspended all flights to the country.


We remain deeply humbled by the bravery and the resilience of the Ukrainian people and their determination to win. Cabinet tensions over defence spending have emerged as Penny Mordaunt, the former secretary of state, warned Mr Shapps earlier this week that Britain’s national interests were at risk unless the Royal Navy kept pace with hostile nations. Calls have recently come from senior figures on both sides of the Atlantic for the UK to be prepared in case of a potential war between Nato forces and Russia. Earlier this week, Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, the outgoing head of the British army, said its 74,000-strong ranks need to be bolstered by at least 45,000 reservists and citizens in order to be better readied for possible conflict. Last month, the European Union paid the final instalment of a multibillion-euro support package to Ukraine to help keep its economy afloat.

With war raging in Ukraine, many fear ministers will be distracted from climate action. The conflict could push up British energy bills to £3,000 in October 2022, potentially a £600 increase from previously expected levels, according to ECIU. With a grave humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine, some fear the war will distract from climate action. With an election looming, the military is hoping politicians make further pledges over defence spending. Labour has avoided making any firm spending commitments, but has criticised cuts to the size of the army and promised to launch a defence review if elected.

Read More: https://euronewstop.co.uk/how-did-boris-johnson-travel-to-ukraine.html