Backbench debate on Thursday, 4 December 2025, in the House of Commons, led by Bernard Jenkin. The answering members were James Cartlidge and Al Carns.

War in Ukraine

Motion that this House again condemns President Putin's war of aggression in Ukraine, which is now in its fourth year of tragedy and destruction; condemns the atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine, in particular the abduction of Ukrainian children; supports efforts to negotiate a durable and lasting peace agreement; asserts that this must reaffirm all Ukrainian sovereign territory as recognised in international law, including any occupied territories; believes that Ukraine's sovereignty must be guaranteed by all parties including by all NATO nations and by the EU, to mirror Article V of the NATO Treaty; further believes that Ukraine must be free to sustain capability to deter a future Russian attack; also supports increased economic sanctions further to reduce Russian revenues from the export of oil and gas; and urges the Government and the UK's allies to accelerate military support for Ukraine, and to release frozen Russian assets for the financing of increased military spending in Ukraine as soon as possible. Agreed to on question.

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 776 cc1231-1276
Session: 2024-26
Department: Ministry of Defence
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
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Proceeding contributions: Nusrat Ghani | 776 cc1231-1218 (Link to this contribution)
I call Sir Bernard Jenkin, who will speak for around 15 minutes.
2.16 pm; Bernard Jenkin | 776 cc1218-1232 (Link to this contribution)
I beg to move,
That this House again condemns President Putin’s war of aggression in Ukrain...; David Burton-Sampson | 776 c1232 (Link to this contribution)
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?; Bernard Jenkin | 776 c1232 (Link to this contribution)
Briefly, but I have a lot to say.; David Burton-Sampson | 776 c1232 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman is giving a great speech, and I agree with his points. With spy ships through ...; Bernard Jenkin | 776 cc1219-1233 (Link to this contribution)
Of course I agree with that, and I will come back to how we work with our allies later.
The...; Helen Maguire | 776 c1233 (Link to this contribution)
Will the hon. Member give way?; Bernard Jenkin | 776 c1233 (Link to this contribution)
I give way to the hon. Lady and thank her for her support.; Helen Maguire | 776 c1220 (Link to this contribution)
Is the hon. Member aware that the Russian state is so deprived of military equipment currently th...; Bernard Jenkin | 776 cc1220-1236 (Link to this contribution)
That is certainly true, but the Russians are also depending more and more on what they produce in...; Iain Duncan Smith | 776 c1236 (Link to this contribution)
They have not really taken it.; Bernard Jenkin | 776 cc1221-1237 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend is right: the Russians have not already taken the town, although they say th...; Alex Sobel | 776 cc1237-9 (Link to this contribution)
I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin) for securing th...; Iain Duncan Smith | 776 c1239 (Link to this contribution)
It is interesting that although we have all mounted pressure on the UK Government, and the Foreig...; Alex Sobel | 776 cc1239-1240 (Link to this contribution)
I agree. It is not just that the profits or interest from assets held here should be repurposed; ...; 776 c1240 (Link to this contribution); Nusrat Ghani | 776 cc1240-1223 (Link to this contribution)
If Members keep their contributions to under 10 minutes, we can get everybody in. I call the Fath...; Edward Leigh | 776 cc1223-1243 (Link to this contribution)
Western societies are visibly divided over how to respond to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine...; Sharon Hodgson | 776 cc1243-4 (Link to this contribution)
I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin) for securing to...; Iain Duncan Smith | 776 cc1244-7 (Link to this contribution)
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin) on his ...; Bernard Jenkin | 776 c1247 (Link to this contribution)
Do we think for a moment that Russia would pause seizing any assets it could to fund the conflict...; Iain Duncan Smith | 776 c1247 (Link to this contribution)
It is, of course, a fact that we stand by the rule of law and teach others to do so, but the real...; Bernard Jenkin | 776 c1228 (Link to this contribution)
They need the will to do so.; Iain Duncan Smith | 776 c1228 (Link to this contribution)
The will is non-existent.
I will conclude by simply saying that Ukraine should not be writt...; Nia Griffith | 776 cc1228-1249 (Link to this contribution)
I congratulate the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin) on a fantastic sp...; Angus MacDonald | 776 cc1249-1250 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin) for bringing this very i...; Tim Roca | 776 cc1250-2 (Link to this contribution)
I add my commendation to the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin) for sec...; Alex Mayer | 776 c1252 (Link to this contribution)
I am struck by what my hon. Friend has just said. About eight years ago, during Trump’s first ter...; Tim Roca | 776 cc1252-3 (Link to this contribution)
I completely agree. As the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin) raised ea...; Helen Maguire | 776 cc1253-6 (Link to this contribution)
I congratulate the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin) on securing this ...; Llinos Medi | 776 c1256 (Link to this contribution)
That former leader in Wales of Reform UK was a constituent of mine. We have been calling on the P...; Helen Maguire | 776 cc1232-1257 (Link to this contribution)
I do, wholeheartedly, and thank the hon. Member for intervening on that important point.
In...; Julian Lewis | 776 cc1257-8 (Link to this contribution)
One of the advantages of being called at a late stage of the debate is that I can put my hand on ...; Jim Shannon | 776 cc1258-9 (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to speak in this debate. I congratulate the hon. Member for Harwich and North Es...; Alex Sobel | 776 c1259 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Member is giving a typically impassioned speech about the horrific nature of the aggress...; Jim Shannon | 776 cc1237-9 (Link to this contribution)
Yes, I agree with that. I wish that the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna B...; Al Pinkerton | 776 c1260 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Member mentioned the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Johanna Baxter). Re...; Jim Shannon | 776 c1240 (Link to this contribution)
We all appreciate and understand that horror that children have had to endure.
The right ho...; Julian Lewis | 776 c1240 (Link to this contribution)
Has the hon. Gentleman noticed that point 26 of the 28-point Witkoff plan is a general amnesty fo...; Jim Shannon | 776 cc1243-1261 (Link to this contribution)
I did notice that. I want to be clear to the right hon. Gentleman and everyone in the House that ...; Clive Jones | 776 cc1261-2 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin) for bringing this very i...; Rachel Gilmour | 776 cc1262-3 (Link to this contribution)
I was in Ukraine in September with colleagues from the Labour Benches—I was the lone Liberal in a...; Iain Duncan Smith | 776 c1263 (Link to this contribution)
Might the hon. Lady take an intervention?; Rachel Gilmour | 776 c1264 (Link to this contribution)
I am going to finish—sorry. We risk returning to a brutish bygone era in which tyrannical thugs t...; Judith Cummins | 776 cc1250-2 (Link to this contribution)
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
4.18 pm; Al Pinkerton | 776 cc1252-1266 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin) for securing this very i...; Judith Cummins | 776 cc1266-1253 (Link to this contribution)
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
4.26 pm; James Cartlidge | 776 cc1253-1269 (Link to this contribution)
May I begin by congratulating my constituency neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich an...; Al Carns | 776 cc1269-1270 (Link to this contribution)
First, I express great thanks to the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin)...; Bernard Jenkin | 776 c1270 (Link to this contribution)
I am most grateful to the Minister for giving way and for his response to the debate. I know his ...; Al Carns | 776 cc1271-3 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the hon. Member for his contribution. It absolutely was front and centre of the strategic...; Iain Duncan Smith | 776 c1273 (Link to this contribution)
I want to raise a point that I have just been told about. There is a debate right now in the Bund...; Al Carns | 776 c1260 (Link to this contribution)
I was in Germany just last week, and when I left, I muttered, “Germany is back.” I think that rep...; Julian Lewis | 776 c1260 (Link to this contribution)
One way in which we could continue to lead would be by giving a very firm commitment that if the ...; Al Carns | 776 cc1274-1261 (Link to this contribution)
The right hon. Member makes a very valid point. We have led over 30 countries in the coalition of...; Bernard Jenkin | 776 cc1261-1275 (Link to this contribution)
Within the last few minutes, I read that President Zelensky is on a state visit to Dublin, but hi...; Iain Duncan Smith | 776 c1275 (Link to this contribution)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. You sit in the Chair and are not allowed to speak, so ...; Judith Cummins | 776 cc1263-4 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his point of order. I would like to take this opportunity to...
Subjects: Children Defence Assets Armed conflict Cybercrime Defence equipment Finance Infrastructure Europe Peace negotiations Military aid Ukraine Military alliances War crimes USA Sanctions NATO Russia Disinformation Sabotage
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on hansard.parliament.uk

War in Ukraine

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