US National Security Strategy Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Jim Shannon
Main Page: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)Department Debates - View all Jim Shannon's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
(1 day, 7 hours ago)
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.
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Seema Malhotra
The hon. Member will have heard me say that, as we respect the US as a democracy, we expect that friends and allies should respect each other’s choices and traditions. It is important that we defend our democracies. It is also important that we have an environment in which we can have debate that is not divisive and that robust political debate takes place in an environment of respect.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Minister very much for those very careful responses encapsulating where we are. It is incredibly concerning that President Trump continues to assist in weakening Europe, and there is now a danger of the US abandoning support in the Russia-Ukraine war. Given the Prime Minister’s supposed strong relationship with the United States, and with President Trump in particular, what steps will the Minister take to ensure that we are committed to working together to deliver stronger outcomes for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, because Russia must be held accountable for the devastation that it has caused?
Seema Malhotra
I thank the hon. Member for his question; he always asks extremely pertinent questions in relation to these matters. He will have heard me say how important it is that we continue to work closely with the United States to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security through NATO in order to support Ukraine, see an end to the war—a war that President Putin could end tomorrow if he chose to do so—and ensure that Putin is held accountable for his actions. It is also important that we deepen our co-operation on emerging technologies and economic security. Our commitment to NATO and European security and to making sure that we work together across Europe to step up on defence spending is iron-clad, and it remains a priority.