Speaking in the House of Lords this morning, Lib Dem peer Lord Newby said the invasion is a failure of the West to recognise that Putin was pursuing an aggressive forward foreign policy which was aimed not just at those territories which he wishes to control but also at the values of democracy and rule of law which the territories embodied.

He said we must recognise we are not a global military power. That our most important security and economic relationships are with Europe and that we need to strengthen global structures and programmes which promote our values. We should set an example in the way our leaders conduct themselves. What part will the government play in the resettlement of refugees? What protection will we offer to the Baltic States? We must also make sure that Ukraine does not become the model for future tragedies in the future.

Full speech

It was only 6 months ago that we were describing the chaotic retreat from Afghanistan as the biggest failure of Western foreign policy for decades. That was a fair description, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine tops it.

Because the invasion isn’t simply a success of Russian military strength. It is an equal failure of the West’s collective failure to recognise that Putin was pursuing an aggressive forward foreign policy which was aimed not just at those territories which wished to control – but also at the values of democracy, rule of law which they embodied. And a subsequent failure to take measures to counter this.

This invasion follows other Russian power grabs in Crimea, Georgia and Moldova and increasing Russian influence more broadly – in the Middle East and Africa. These advances have simply not been met with a serious Western response.

Afghanistan and Ukraine absolutely must now impel the UK to reassess its own place in the world and the extent to which it is prepared to make an effort to promote its own values against those who aggressively reject them.

This isn’t going to be accomplished quickly, but if we are to avoid future Ukraines, future Afghanistans, we need to start this reassessment urgently now.

I’d just like to suggest four areas for consideration:

First, we need to be realistic about Britain’s strengths and weaknesses. We are not a global military power despite the government’s hubristic rhetoric. The pivot to the east was a major strategic mistake and should be reversed. So was the decision to cut the number of troops. This cut should also be reversed.

Second, our most important security and economic relationships are with Europe. Windy talk of global Britain cuts no ice when the Russians can seize a friendly European democracy. Post-Brexit, the UK has not been part of European non-NATO discussions on security and foreign policy. We have not, for example, been in the room as the rest of Europe has planned its sanctions against Russia.

We have been devoid of influence and have not been able to use our weight to stiffen the resolve of those who have doubts about taking a firm line. We need to find some mechanism for being a full participant in European policy making on civilian security and defence policy.

Third, we need to strengthen global structures and programmes which promote our values. With Russia and China on the Security Council, this isn’t going to be easy. But we should at the very least do what we can within the powers and resources at our own disposal. Reinstating the cuts to development assistance would be a start.

And fourth, we should set an example in the way our leaders conduct themselves. We should be principled, honest, knowledgeable and robust. This is how you gain respect. I realise that this is completely impossible to contemplate under this Government – but we remain a democracy so it will, in due course, be replaced.

All these issues will take time to work through, but we are faced with immediate challenges today

On sanctions, we had a full discussion of these on the statement yesterday, and I won’t reprise the arguments I made then. But I would ask the Minister to respond to reports in the press today that the otherwise inexplicable reason why we have not named Gazprom and Rozneft as well as oligarchs such as Roman Abramovich as subject to sanctions is that we do not have the legal resources to fight any challenge which they might bring. Can they assure me that this is not the case and that these entities and individuals will now – as they should be – be sanctioned?

Sanctions deal with Russian involvement in our economy. But there are also outstanding issues related to possible Russian involvement in our politics. The Government has been woefully slow and indeed negligent in failing to act on the recommendations of the Russia Report. Can the Minister give the House an assurance that these will now be pursued with vigour and, in particular will the Government release any evidence of Russian interference in British politics in the past – whether or not they deem it to have been successful.

One of the most predictable results of the invasion is that there will be large numbers of refugees. What is the UK’s position on this? We understand that British troops have been sent to Poland to help with the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens. What part do we plan to play in their resettlement?

All Ukrainian citizens will be allowed to enter the EU on a Ukrainian passport. Will they be allowed to enter the UK?

In particular, can the Government confirm that it will allow family reunion for Ukrainian citizens who have relatives in the UK and are fleeing the country? Will the Government also consider granting visas to Ukrainians who are working for UK companies in Ukraine – often in tech-related roles – who might now wish to come to live and work here?

Finally, could we have more clarity on what the Government plans to do to support our NATO allies in Easter Europe. We were told yesterday that two fighters were being despatched to Cyprus to patrol NATOs southeastern borders. This is welcome, but surely not adequate.

The next potential targets for Putin are the Baltic states. Nobody thinks he’s going to invade them tomorrow, but surely we now need to provide them with much more military support. The Estonians, I know, are extremely grateful for the British-led contingent of 1200 troops which are now stationed on their border with Russia, but they are under no illusion that this is anything more than a tripwire and would be rapidly swept aside in the event of a Russian advance. What discussions does the Government plan to initiate with our NATO allies about reinforcing these troops and those in the neighbouring Baltic states.

As a young man I visited Voroshilovgrad – now renamed Luhansk – as leader of the first ever British youth delegation to Russia following the signing of the Helsinki Agreements. Lord Pickles was also on the delegation. We stayed in a hotel built by German prisoners of war. Grim history was all around us. But we – and our Russian interlocutors – genuinely believed that we were at the start of a process which would mean that wars in Europe were a thing of the past.

It therefore makes me weep to see what is happening to Luhansk today. We must deal as best we can with today’s tragedy in Ukraine. But we must also make sure that it does not become the model for future tragedies in the future.

* Dick Newby is the Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.