Rishi Sunak urges Nato allies to ‘double down’ on military support to Ukraine and make Putin ‘pay’ for ‘sick war crimes’

RISHI Sunak today told world leaders they must “double down” on military support for Ukraine.

The Prime Minister said the country needed backing by Nato allies to counter any spring offensive by Russian president Vladimir Putin‘s troops.

He argued the West must also start to put in place the foundations to strengthen Kyiv‘s security in the long term.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday, Mr Sunak said: “Our collective efforts are making a difference but with every day that passes, Russian forces inflict yet more pain and suffering.

“Now the only way to change that is for Ukraine to win.”

He told the Bavarian summit there was a need to “bolster” Kyiv’s armed forces immediately and to “double down” on the West’s backing for its defence against Russia’s invasion.

Mr Sunak, 42, cited the provision of UK tanks and his administration’s decision to begin training Ukrainian pilots to fly Nato-standard fighter jets as an example of how Britain was playing its part.

But with one eye on the Nato summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July, he urged other Western leaders to commit to providing “Nato capabilities” for Ukraine’s armed forces to secure its borders for the future.

He added: “We need to do more to boost Ukraine’s long-term security.

“We must give them the advanced, Nato-standard capabilities that they need for the future.

“And we must demonstrate that we’ll remain by their side, willing and able to help them defend their country again and again.”

Mr Sunak also said securing a lasting peace would mean “upholding international law” and making Moscow pay reparations to Kyiv.

And when taking questions afterwards, he urged allies to “seize” the moment to help ensure Putin is defeated.

He said Ukraine needed the “means to fight back” and that upping support, something he said the UK had taken a lead on, would allow Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky‘s forces to gain a “decisive advantage on the battlefield”.

The PM added: “That would be my pitch to everyone.

“Do what we are doing, join the countries that are providing that support, intensifying and accelerating it now. I think the alternative is far worse.

“We are all united in wanting Ukraine to win and if there’s an opportunity to do that sooner, and take advantage of the moment that we have, why would we not seize it? What are we waiting for?”

Others to speak at the summit on Saturday included US vice-president Kamala Harris and Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg.

‘CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY’

Ms Harris insisted US support for Ukraine would “not waver” and Russia would be held to account for its “crimes against humanity”.

She added: “If Putin thinks he can wait us out, he is badly mistaken. Time is not on his side.”

Before his speech, Mr Sunak held bilateral talks with German chancellor Olaf Scholz and later spoke with Ms Harris, along with the leaders of Poland, Sweden and Finland.

The PM said “the whole world must hold Russia to account” for war crimes against Ukraine and criticised the agreements of the “post-Cold War era” for failing the nation.

Calling for a strengthening of international law, he told the conference, which brings together officials from around the world to discuss surgent security issues: “To win the peace, we also need to rebuild the international order on which our collective security depends.

“First, that means upholding international law.

“The whole world must hold Russia to account.

“We must see justice through the ICC for their sickening war crimes committed, whether in Bucha, Irpen, Mariupol or beyond, and Russia must also be held to account for the terrible destruction it has inflicted.”

He added: “Second, the treaties and agreements of the post-Cold War era have failed Ukraine, so we need a new framework for its long-term security.

“From human rights to reckless nuclear threats from Georgia to Moldova, Russia has committed violation after violation against countries outside of the collective assurance of Nato.”

The UK has provided £2.3 billion of military support to Ukraine and Mr Sunak said he was committed to matching or exceeding that contribution this year.