Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the peace dividend which began when the Cold War ended is ‘gone’.
A weaker performance on the battlefield is making Russia “more reckless and dangerous”, the Foreign Secretary has warned.
Yvette Cooper said the peace dividend which began when the Cold War ended is “gone”, following a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Sweden.
She said: “We discussed in the Nato foreign ministers’ meeting how Russia’s weakening on the battlefield against Ukraine is also making them more reckless and dangerous.
“In the face of that threat and the ongoing global instability, the Nato alliance is vital and enduring, but within it Europe and the UK must do more.
“We have already been stepping up with significantly increased defence investment but we have to face up to the need to do much more so we properly protect our citizens.
“Russia is now under huge pressure from Ukraine’s military response and from economic challenges but that is making them more unpredictable with escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians, increasing hybrid threats across the continent, and reports of drone incursions.
“The threat from Russia is increasing on air, land, sea, space, cyber and information warfare.”
Earlier this week, London made formal representations to Moscow after two Russian jets intercepted an unarmed RAF spy plane above the Black Sea.
A Russian Su-35 jet flew so close to the British reconnaissance aircraft that it triggered its emergency systems, including disabling the autopilot, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Appearing before Parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy earlier this week, Al Carns described a “continual attempt by the Russians to identify weaknesses” in UK infrastructure such as undersea cables, “but their ability to do that undetected is very difficult”.
After the meeting concluded on Friday, Ms Cooper said: “Any lingering cosy assumptions about our defence and security are gone.
“So too is the post-Cold War peace dividend.
“That’s why we need to keep increasing our defence and security capabilities and maintain our support for Ukraine.
“Nato is the most successful defensive alliance in history and now we need to keep building a stronger Europe within Nato.
“The safety, stability and prosperity of our citizens depends upon it.”
Also on Friday, Sir Keir Starmer and leaders from France and Germany vowed to “double down on their support” for Ukraine.
“The Prime Minister held a virtual meeting with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz this afternoon,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
“President Zelensky updated on the progress made by Ukraine’s military in recent weeks, as it continues to ramp up its defence in the face of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s continued attacks.
“The leaders paid tribute to the strength and courage of the Ukrainian people and confirmed they would double down on their support in the coming months.
“They agreed that standing up to Russian aggression remains vital for European and global security, and reaffirmed their commitment to securing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
“They agreed to speak again soon.”
