As the PM wrote this week, the fact Putin thought he could get away with his barbaric attempt to subjugate Ukraine and its people stems from the West's lack of firm response when he first invaded Crimea in 2014. Since then many nations in Europe have became more - rather than less - dependent on Russian energy.

This was clearly a massive strategic mistake - one Europe can afford to make no longer. Russia’s energy reserves have for many years consolidated Putin’s power. His cronies at home have amassed huge fortunes from corrupt dealing in state energy companies. Putin used energy supplies to exert malign influence abroad. But Putin is so dependent on oil and gas exports to secure his position, a concerted and united approach from the West will remove this crucial lever through which he exercises power, both at home and abroad.

The USA has already announced a ban on imports of Russian oil, which the UK is following soon – fortunately we are much less dependent on gas imports from Russia than others. The EU has also agreed to rid itself of Russian hydrocarbons as soon as possible.

Russia’s aggression and disruption to global energy supplies has come just when energy prices are soaring,  due to global demand bouncing back from the pandemic. This is deeply concerning for households facing huge energy cost hikes.

I have argued for years that a focus on renewables will not only ensure we meet our net zero targets, but also deliver energy security and protect consumers from the volatility of international gas and oil markets. The proof is in the price - a kilowatt from a North Sea wind turbine costs less than one produced by a power station running on gas shipped to the UK from overseas.

Some call to exploit fracked gas; but this is unlikely to be the hoped for panacea in the UK. The Government appears willing to explore remaining opportunities in North Sea oil and gas to provide energy security as we transition to a decarbonised future from a range of renewable sources. Nuclear power for reliable baseload electricity may also feature in the Government’s Energy Security Strategy which is expected shortly.

Last week another milestone was reached in developing the feasibility for Small Modular Reactors. These have the potential to provide substantial power, create tens of thousands of jobs, revitalise the nuclear skills base in the UK and boost the green economic recovery.

The answer to soaring fossil fuel prices is not increasing our reliance on fossil fuels. The simple fact is that the renewables part of our energy supply is keeping consumer bills from rising even higher than they are now. So we need to accelerate renewable and nuclear deployment. This will reduce Western reliance on Russian energy imports, and take a leap forward for a greener, cheaper, freer world at the same time.