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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Kieran Isgin

West must push Russia out of 'whole of Ukraine', Liz Truss says

The Foreign Secretary has called for Western allies to "double down" in their efforts to support Ukraine and push Russia out of the war-torn country.

In a keynote foreign policy speech, Ms Truss said the UK must strengthen its military while building alliances with other nations around the world. She added that the country must further use its and other nations' economic power to deter aggressors who "do not play by the rules".

She added that the G7 group of leading industrialised nations should behave as an "economic Nato" that work together to defend collective prosperity. During the speech, she also showed favourable consideration to some other states which the Western military alliance should be prepared to be open towards such as Finland and Sweden.

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Speaking at the Mansion House in the City of London, Ms Truss narrowed in on China, which has refused to condemn the RUssian invasion of Ukraine, while increasing imports from Russia and noting "who should or shouldn't be a Nato member".

She added: "China is not impervious. They will not continue to rise if they do not play by the rules.

Liz Truss has called for a more solid alliance of Western nations (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

"China needs trade with the G7. We represent around half of the global economy. And we have choices. We have shown with Russia the kind of choices that we’re prepared to make when international rules are violated.”

Ms Truss' calls for an international architecture would intend to guarantee peace and prosperity for Ukraine in the face of a "desperate rogue operator" who has no interest in abiding by international norms. “Russia is able to block any effective action in the UN Security Council. Putin sees his veto as a green light to barbarism,” she said.

According to the cabinet minister, Western allies must "double down" on their support for the UKrainian government by providing heavy weaponry which would allow it "to push Russia out of the whole of Ukraine".

She noted how the events of the previous few months must be “a catalyst for wider change”. “Now we need a new approach, one that melds hard security and economic security, one that builds stronger global alliances and where free nations are more assertive and self-confident, one that recognises geopolitics is back,” she said.

The Foreign Secretary has warned the UK may spend more on its defence spending (Victoria Jones/PA Wire)

For the British economy, it would mean an increase in defence spending with the Nato minimum of 2 per cent of national income actions as a "floor not a ceiling". She also said the UK must build a series of strong partnerships with like-minded countries to establish a "network of liberty".

She called for Nato to expand its reach to a "global outlook" and restrain from focusing solely on the defence of Europe by working with allies like Japan and Australia to ensure the Pacific is defended.

She claimed that they must be prepared to stand up to "aggressors" who try to use their economic power as a "tool of foreign policy" to exert control over other nations. “Access to the global economy must depend on playing by the rules. There can be no more free passes,” she said.

“We are showing this with the Russia-Ukraine conflict – Russia’s pass has been rescinded. The G7 should act as an economic Nato, collectively defending our prosperity. If the economy of a partner is being targeted by an aggressive regime we should act to support them. All for one and one for all.”

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