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Liz Truss, Britain’s new and current Prime Minister, has previously served as the United Kingdom (UK) foreign secretary of state and is known for her tough stance on Russia. Her previous statements during her tenure as foreign secretary indicate she is an ally of Ukraine and wants Russia to stop its invasion of Ukraine. As a Prime Minister, Truss’s actions are central to the crisis in Ukraine since Britain is a key member of NATO. Liz Truss is considered the greatest friend of Ukraine and is likely to offer more support to the nation in its effort to counter the Russian invasion.
Liz Truss’s Political Views on Russia and Ukraine War
As Britain’s foreign secretary, Liz Truss backed the British soldiers fighting alongside those of Ukraine and was optimistic that Russia could be pushed out of Ukraine. Ralph (2022) reported that as a foreign secretary, Truss drew up a list comprising of Russian oligarchs who were to be sanctioned, stating that more economic sanctions would be imposed on Russia’s most influential individuals associated with Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine.
Liz Truss has expressed her concerns over the G7 commitment to helping Ukraine and stated that G7 members needed to become more institutionalized and start fighting back. She expected NATO to become more global in its vision and united if it was to stop Russia’s invasion. Liz Truss’s view on the Ukraine-Rusia crisis has been that the West has become complacent since the end of the cold war, making countries like Russia take advantage and start planning and executing invasions. She has demanded that international organizations like the United Nations (UN) and World Trade Organization (WTO) work together with willing partners to exert their powers and get things done. Truss has stated that the diplomatic efforts led by Germany and France that brokered the Minsk agreement in 2014 between Russia and Ukraine were a complete disaster. This statement points to the idea that she feels things need to be done differently and that London needs to get involved more in such agreements.
What to Expect in Russia Ukraine War Under Her Leadership as UK Prime Minister
Having taken a tough stance against Russian president Vladimir Putin, I predict Liz Truss would double the efforts of UK support for Ukraine. This insurance will entail further sanctions on Russian companies and more weapons for Ukraine. We expect Britain’s spending on defense to increase under her leadership, and we could experience a more hawkish tone in any negotiations since Liz Truss holds a tough and fierce stance on Russia.
After her election, Russia has expressed concerns that relations with the United Kingdom would deteriorate after Liz Truss’s imminent arrival in Downing Street as Prime Minister. However, this declaration was evident when the Russian media mocked Truss over her comments on an official visit to Russia (Patel, 2022). On the other hand, Ukrainian politicians welcomed her victory exuberantly, with president Volodymyr Zelensky stating that relations between Ukraine and Britain would be on a new high. Key politicians from Ukraine expressed satisfaction with her victory, stating they knew her well and together, they would protect Ukraine’s territory from Russia’s destructive efforts. According to Lapshyna (2019), Moscow now considers Britain as one of the West-leading nations determined to stop Russian emergence as a superpower, and Truss is considered the enemy of Russia.
Liz Truss’s first official call with a foreign leader after her election was with the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. She accepted an invitation to visit Ukraine and reiterated her support for the country in its war with Russia.
Conclusion
Liz Truss’s administration will continue to hold a tough stance on Russia through sanctions, but this, according to Russian authorities, would be considered a minor irritation since it is only the actions taken by Germany and the United States that would define the outcome of this conflict. As Blockmans (2022) reported, Russian parliamentarians do not care who is in charge in the UK, as anyone would still carry on the order to contain Russia and prevent the Ukraine invasion. On the other hand, Ukraine expects to continue receiving massive support, and the Britain-Ukraine ties will be strengthened under the new administration. Liz Truss is a solid supporter of Ukraine, and we expect the alliance between the two countries to remain strong in the upcoming years. Furthermore, having served in the international docket for the past year during the onset of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, we expect Truss to simplify and speed up all decisions regarding support for Ukraine, and this might work as an advantage.
- Blockmans, S. (2022, February). Why the Ukraine crisis should push the UK and EU into a tighter embrace of security policy. CEPS Policy Contribution. https://www.ceps.eu/ceps-publications/why-the-ukraine-crisis-should-push-the-uk-and-eu-into-a-tighter-embrace-on-security-policy/
- Lapshyna, I. (2019). Do diasporas matter? The growing role of the Ukrainian diaspora in the UK and Poland in the development of the homeland in times of war. Central and Eastern European migration review, 8(1), 51-73.
- Patel, U. (2022). Box A: The economic consequences of the Ukraine War for UK household incomes. National Institute UK Economic Outlook, A(6), 7-8.
- Ralph, J. (2022). Ukraine and the Responsibility to Protect: the consequences for the vulnerable (and the not yet vulnerable) should be front and center of our reasoning. British Politics and Policy at LSE, 10-23.