"You cannot wait us out" Miliband tells Putin during first visit to Ukraine as Foreign Secretary

• Ed Miliband reaffirms UK’s unwavering backing for Ukraine on first visit as Foreign Secretary and unveils £54m package of winter resilience funding.  
• Fresh sanctions action today now means over 90% of Russia’s total oil producing capacity covered by UK sanctions regime.  
• On a joint visit with President Zelenskyy, Foreign Secretary sees site of recent strike in Pryluky, which claimed lives of at least 22.

New UK humanitarian and energy funding will help bolster Ukraine’s preparedness ahead of its fifth winter under Russian bombardment. Arriving in Ukraine on his first visit as Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband joined President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the site of a recent strike in the Chernihiv Region which claimed the lives of at least 22 people, where he also announced fresh sanctions against Russia and £6 million funding to pursue justice for war crimes.

The strike site, a residential block in the city of Pryluky, which was badly damaged as part of an onslaught of drone and missile attacks sent by the Kremlin earlier this week, still has search and rescue teams present.

Seeing firsthand the devastation caused by Putin’s war in Ukraine, the Foreign Secretary spoke with locals and emergency workers who had taken part in recovery efforts.   

During today’s visit the Foreign Secretary met both President Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. It came as Ukraine approaches the fifth winter of suffering under Russian bombardment and the Foreign Secretary commended the courage and bravery of the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom.

During his meeting with President Zelenskyy, the Foreign Secretary unveiled a sweeping package of sanctions against people and entities helping to support Russia’s war.

The package, which includes around 40 targets across Russia’s financial, oil and technology sectors is designed to disrupt Russia’s supply chain and cut off financing streams. The visits underlines the UK’s continued position: that Russia’s war is an assault on the core principles of the UN Charter and a demand of Putin and the Ministers who choose prop this up to move away from escalation and towards negotiations.   

Speaking from the ruins of the residential building, the Foreign Secretary condemned the scale of suffering. £54 million in combined energy and humanitarian funding is expected to support ordinary Ukrainians during the winter months - as Putin once again attempts to weaponize winter and plunge communities into darkness. The UK is backing Ukraine through a triangle of support – bolstering Ukraine’s resilience; going after those who help to fund Russia’s war machine; and shoring up NATO security and meeting threats to our national security with robust action.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said:

“Behind every headline lies a deeply personal, harrowing story. People’s homes destroyed, children kidnapped, sons and daughters permanently maimed or killed on the battlefield, grandparents forced to shelter in metro stations.   

“The things I’ve seen and heard today are deplorable. Five winters on, the people of Ukraine are still living under constant threat of Russian strikes, energy blackouts and death. Russia could end this war tomorrow. Instead we’ve seen escalating attacks, including on key infrastructure and Ukrainian cultural landmarks.

“We stand with the people of Ukraine not just because it the front line of European and NATO security, but because it is at the heart of a global struggle to uphold the principles of justice and the rule of law. My message to Putin is clear – You cannot wait us out. Until you choose the path of peace, the UK will not relent in its support for Ukraine, our values, or our national security. You will remain a pariah.”  

Russian strikes on Ukraine have intensified this week, as just this morning a missile hit a bus in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, killing at least 30 people.

Earlier this year as Ukraine suffered its worst winter in a decade, with millions plunged into darkness as temperatures reached –20c. The UK supported over a million vulnerable civilians by delivering much-needed generators and helping to repair damaged water and heating services.   

The UK’s contribution today includes a £20 million to support Ukraine’s energy security, with funding for teams making emergency repairs to Ukraine’s energy grid following strikes, investment in back-up generators and solar power sources for blackouts and investment in new technologies to help Ukraine diversify power supplies.  

The package also includes £34 million to protect and maintain heating and water for Ukrainian families ahead of the winter and provide direct cash to support, working with the Ukrainian government and aid partners on the ground including UNICEF, UNHCR and the Ukrainian Red Cross.  

Following his visit to Chernihiv, the Foreign Secretary returned to Kyiv where he visited a hospital where Ukrainian veterans were receiving medical care. The Foreign Secretary heard directly from soldiers who have served on the front-line, many returning with life-altering injuries. Here he announced £6.3 million of UK support for Ukraine’s domestic efforts to pursue justice and accountability for the perpetrators of heinous war crimes committed during Russia’s full-scale invasion.  

ENDS

Notes to editors:  

• So far the UK has provided over £1 billion in humanitarian and energy support to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
• Further details on today’s sanctions package can be found here.
• The UK has now sanctioned over 600 vessels under the UK’s Russia sanctions regulations. The total number of UK sanctions against Russia now stands at over 3,500.  
• Beyond the war, the UK is committed to continue to deepen its bilateral ties with Ukraine through the 100 Year Partnership and the annual UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue. The 100 Year Partnership builds on the enduring alliance between the two countries to deliver maximum benefit for both the UK and Ukraine’s long term security and prosperity. The next iteration of the Strategic Dialogue, launched today by the Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Sybiha, is key to implementing this. A century from now the UK will continue to stand by Ukraine’s side.