Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to secure the withdrawal of Russian military personnel now alleged to be in the territory of Ukraine; and what steps they are taking to mobilise funds for aid and investment in Ukraine.

The UK has sent very clear messages to Russia to end its deliberate destabilisation of Ukraine including in international fora, such as the UN Security Council and the EU. On 26 January, the UK Permanent Representative to the UN urged all Council members to make clear that Russia must withdraw its equipment and troops from Ukraine and play its full part in ensuring the immediate implementation of the Minsk Protocol. On 29 January, the UK supported a decision by the EU to extend existing sanctions against Russia until September in the face of continued Russian aggression in Ukraine.

The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has said that the International Monetary Fund, EU and other partners should provide financial assistance to address Ukraine’s urgent financial needs, and in return the Ukrainian government must make real progress with their reform programme. The British Government has committed £10 million over two years to support governance and economic reform in Ukraine. UK assistance on the investment climate also includes support to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to set up an independent anti-corruption Business Ombudsman.