Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to deter Russian aggression towards Ukraine; and what steps he plans to take in the event of an escalation of that situation.

Defence has a longstanding relationship with Ukraine and continues to provide support in many areas including security assistance and defence reform. Since 2015, the UK has helped build the resilience and capacity of the Armed Forces of Ukraine through Operation ORBITAL which has trained around 22,000 Ukrainian troops. The UK is committed to the stability, prosperity and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

We have significant concerns about Russia's aggressive pattern of military build-ups on Ukraine's border and in illegally-annexed Crimea. We remain clear that Russia's threatening and destabilising behaviour is unacceptable. We will continue to monitor events on the ground closely and call on Russia, alongside our Allies and Partners, to adhere to its international obligations and commitments.