European Council 2016 Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

European Council 2016

John Whittingdale Excerpts
Monday 19th December 2016

(7 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Whittingdale Portrait Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)
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As my right hon. Friend knows, more than 10,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been killed since the beginning of the Russian-backed conflict, and progress on Minsk appears to have stalled. Does she agree that, as signatories to the Budapest memorandum, we have a special responsibility? Will she look into what further pressure we can put on Russia, and also what additional assistance we can give the people of Ukraine?

Theresa May Portrait The Prime Minister
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We do consider what more we can do. My right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary announced recently that we would undertake an extension of the training of Ukrainian forces, and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is looking into whether there are other ways in which we can ensure that the Minsk agreement is implemented in full. However, I think it important for us also to work through the European Union, and to put the pressure of the EU behind the process.