Thank you President and I thank ASG Khiari and Ms Doughten for their briefing today.
"You see who we are dealing with. They don't care where to hit". Words spoken by the President of Ukraine on Wednesday, which could have been spoken on countless occasions during this war.
We are compelled to gather again to respond to another appalling series of missile attacks on Ukraine.
On 2 March, 12 civilians, including 5 children, died when debris hit an apartment block in Odesa.One of the victims was a baby, only four months old.
On 6 March, as President Zelenskyy and Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis paid their respects to the dead, a further Russian strike hit the city. While they narrowly escaped the impact, five others were not so lucky.
President, we have met too often in this chamber to address the human suffering Russia has inflicted upon Ukraine. This week it was attacks on residential buildings.
In other weeks it has been hospitals, schools, train stations, hotels, restaurants. Each time it is innocent Ukrainian civilians who pay the price with their lives.
The day before this latest strike, the International Criminal Court announced two new indictments of senior Russian military figures for an alleged campaign of strikes against Ukraine's electricity infrastructure.
These are not the actions of a country that is interested in peace. Putin claims that he launched this war to "protect" Ukrainian civilians. In fact he is terrorising them.
Russia's actions show an utter disregard for international law and the UN Charter. It is attempting to intimidate Ukraine, its people, and those who support Ukraine.
It will not succeed.
Russia's previous attacks on Odesa have utterly failed. Ukraine has now driven back much of the Black Sea Fleet from Crimea, and is exporting the highest volumes from its ports since the war began.
As my Defence Secretary said in Kyiv yesterday, the UK's support remains unwavering, and we will provide an additional £325 million to help Ukraine defend itself.
Ukrainians have shown that they will not be bullied into submission. And Russia should know that the UK stands proudly by their side.
And so, we repeat our call again to Russia: withdraw your troops, cease the bloodshed and end this senseless war.
Ukraine deserves a just and lasting peace that respects its territorial integrity. And with our support, that is what Ukraine will achieve.
Thank you.
