Ukraine invasion: Former Royal Navy head warns UK against making empty threats towards Russia

A FORMER head of the Royal Navy has warned against making empty threats toward Russian president Vladimir Putin as fear of an invasion of Ukraine continue to intensify.
Admiral Lord Alan West, former First Sea Lord. Admiral Lord Alan West, former First Sea Lord.
Admiral Lord Alan West, former First Sea Lord.

Admiral Lord Alan West of Spithead spoke out during a debate in the House of Lords over the crisis on the continent, which is reaching boiling point.

The retired admiral’s comments came amid mounting fears of an invasion by Russia, which has amassed more than 100,000 troops along the border with its former Soviet neighbour.

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Coming against a backdrop of defence cutbacks in the UK, the Labour former security minister said: ‘Sabre rattling is not very good when the number of sabres you have got seems to be getting less and less all the time.’

He added: ‘I believe that Putin has been boxed into a corner now. He doesn’t want to get into a quagmire in the Ukraine.

‘I believe it is incumbent on us to actually try and ease his escape from the corner that he is in by negotiating or renegotiating an agreement.

‘And that I am afraid will mean you have to have concessions on both sides… but we mustn’t concede of course any fundamental principle.’

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Speaking today, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, pleaded for diplomacy to continue until the last moment in the tense stand-off between Russia and Ukraine to allow both sides to pull back – while singling out the Kremlin for its ‘completely unjustified threats’.Stressing the need for mediation, the archbishop warned that once war flared all control would be ‘completely lost’ and the ‘casualties will be terrible’.

Speaking in parliament, the head of the worldwide Anglican church also pressed the government over provision being made to support fleeing refugees ‘should the worst come to the worst’.

Addressing the Tory Lords leader Baroness Evans of Bowes Park following a statement on the Ukraine crisis, Mr Welby said: ‘Would she agree that mediation and diplomacy should be pursued until the last moment, seeking to find ways of giving both sides the opportunity to withdraw, particularly the Russians to withdraw from their completely unjustified threats?

‘Because the one thing we can be sure of is once a war starts all control of the situation is completely lost, possibly for years, and the casualties will be terrible.’

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He added: ‘What provision is the government making to support, should the worst come to the worst, the very large numbers of refugees and the huge needs for humanitarian support that will inevitably be part of fighting in the late winter in eastern Europe?’

Responding, Lady Evans said: ‘Diplomacy is the only way out of the current situation, but Russia must uphold to the international agreements it has freely entered into and respect the sovereignty of Ukraine.

‘We are and do remain open to efforts by Russia to reduce tensions and encourage it to engage with transparency and de-escalation mechanisms.’

She highlighted the offer of US President Joe Biden to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, as part of attempts to de-escalate the situation.

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‘So there is a lot of effort going in,’ said Lady Evans, who also pointed to £40m being provided by the UK to help Ukraine.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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