The crisis on Ukraine’s border has reached a critical juncture. All the information we have suggests Russia could be planning an invasion of Ukraine at any moment.

That we have reached this point is deeply concerning for all of us who believe in self-determination and freedom. I have only visited Kyiv once, over ten years ago when I was a board member of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, where it was clear that there were not many norms from London which could be applied to their emerging democratic system.

But it was also clear then that the people, as well as their politicians, felt the power of determining their own future. This is what is at stake with this threatening posture by Putin.

I bear some scars from the last set of restrictions imposed in 2014 after the Russian invasion of Crimea. I was a Minister in the Ministry of Defence at the time. I found myself caught up in the sanctions tit-for-tat, being one of nine UK officials included in a list of 89 people across the EU who are banned from travelling to the country or having an account at a Russian bank.

It was serious then, with annexation of the Crimea and commencement of the bombardment of two closest provinces which appear devastated over the past eight years. But it is even more serious now, with over half of Russia’s combat troops assembled either on Ukraine’s border with Russia, or in neighbouring Belarus.

Russia has readily divided Europe & risks bringing conflict to our backdoor. This has been a complete failure of security strategy. We are left hoping Putin sees invasion is not in his or Russia’s best interests. 

I support the Government’s efforts to provide training and capability to help Ukraine defend itself. The sanctions regime being readied in the event Russia do not pull back from the brink, need to ensure Russia feels there will be lasting damage to its economy and consequences for its international reputation.  

Last week I met ambassadors from Baltic and Nordic states who share a border with Russia. They were universally supportive of the UK stance in speaking up and providing diplomatic and military cooperation and support to their countries in the face of Russian threats:

I abhor the very real prospect of Russia, entirely unprovoked, seeking to destabilise the rules based international system, by threatening war in Eastern Europe. I only hope this column is not out of date by the time you come to read it.