On 24 February, it will be the first anniversary of the seminal event of the past 12 months – President Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Over the past year, we have witnessed the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people and the bravery of their armed forces as a war that was supposed to be over in days has resulted in countless setbacks for the Russian army, humiliation for Putin, and the Ukrainians regaining significant amounts of their territory.
I am proud that, at the very start of the conflict, the political groups at the LGA came together with local leaders from across Europe to endorse a statement that unequivocally condemned the violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. It also expressed our full support and solidarity to the Ukrainian people and our peers in Ukrainian local and regional government.
“Local government has been at the forefront of welcoming Ukrainian refugees”
While our government has been busy providing military support to Ukraine – with the UK being one of the leading nations in relation to this – and agreeing a range of sanctions against Russia, we, in local government, have been at the forefront of welcoming Ukrainian refugees through the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme and helping them to settle into their new communities and build new lives.
A year on from Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, we can be proud of the UK’s military and humanitarian support to Ukraine and encouraged by the fortitude of the Ukrainian people and the heroism and successes of their armed forces.
Slava Ukraini!