iz Truss has said she will be Ukraine’s “best friend” if she becomes prime minister, following in the footsteps of Boris Johnson.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs promised to double support for Ukraine and to be president Volodymyr Zelensky her first call from a foreign leader as she becomes the next No. 10 resident.
Ms Truss also said she would update the Integrated Defense and Security Review in light of the conflict in Ukraine, something opposition MPs and the Commons Defense Select Committee have been seeking for months.
She said: “What is happening in Ukraine matters to all of us. This is not just a battle for territory or a conflict between two nations, but a great battle between those who believe in sovereignty and self-determination, and authoritarians who want to destroy freedom and true democracy.
This conflict is in balance, and now is not the time to probe about concessions and compromises to a hideous dictator
“As Prime Minister, I will be Ukraine’s greatest friend – following in the footsteps of Boris Johnson – and I will be fully committed to ensuring that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin fails in Ukraine and suffers a strategic defeat, and that Russia will be limited in the future.
“This conflict is at stake, and now is not the time to probe for concessions and compromises to a hideous dictator.
“By working with our partners in the West, we must continue to provide arms, aid and diplomatic support under the terms of Article 51 of the UN Charter. I am the candidate the British people can trust in Ukraine, and whom they can trust to defend our freedom at home and abroad.”
The Integrated Defense and Security Review, published in March 2021, was completed before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and NATO’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
It sets out the government’s vision for Britain’s role in the world over the next decade.
Ms Truss would add a new and updated focus on China and Russia, as she believes the invasion of Ukraine and China’s growing influence will require a new approach to the UK’s security.
She has already pledged to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP by 2030.