Oral Answers to Questions

Dave Doogan Excerpts

Tuesday 25th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

My hon. Friend makes a good point about biosecurity. Of course, that is a key priority for us and the European Union. We are exploring all options that maintain the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the UK. I completely recognise what my hon. Friend says: those issues cross borders, so of course we need to work with our EU partners to sort them out.

[Dave Doogan (Angus) (SNP)]

7. What plans she has to meet with her Ukrainian counterpart.

[Nia Griffith (Llanelli) (Lab)]

8. What diplomatic steps she is taking in response to Russia’s threats to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Elizabeth Truss)]

I hosted Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in London in December. I speak to him regularly and I will be visiting Ukraine next week.

A further military incursion by Russia into Ukraine would be a massive strategic mistake and come with a severe cost to Russia’s economy, including co-ordinated sanctions.

[Dave Doogan]

I am pleased to hear about the bilateral discussions between the UK and Kyiv, but with the threat of serious conflict looming over Europe, what meetings has the Foreign Secretary held in recent days with the Prime Minister to discuss the crisis? Can she expand on the intellectual heft or geostrategic advice he applied to her at those meetings?