Lord David Cameron has warned the UN about the consequences of withdrawing support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
The foreign secretary was speaking to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on the eve of the second anniversary of the invasion.
It comes as Ukraine faces acute shortages of ammunition, with European countries struggling to find enough stocks to send to Kyiv, and American military aid worth $60bn (£47bn) stalled over political differences in Congress.
Lord Cameron said: “Two years on, I recognise some want to rethink. There is a sense of fatigue, there are other problems, a compromise might seem attractive.
“But this is wrong.
“We must recognise the cost of giving up.
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“Putin has said there will be no peace until Russia‘s goals are achieved, and in his recent interview, he studiously avoided confirming he was satisfied with the land seized from Ukraine at present.
“This is not a man seeking compromise – rather, this is a neo-imperialist bully who believes that might is right.”
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He added that, if Putinwere to “eke out some kind of win, the rest of the world would suffer too”.
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Lord Cameron was asked by Sky US correspondent Mark Stone about how he plans to convince American politicians to support Ukraine.
Lord Cameron said that “history teaches us that when we don’t involved and help defend a country against a dictator’s invasions, when we eventually get involved, the price that is paid in money, and the price that is paid ultimately in American lives is greater”.
The Tory peer started his UN speech by saying he warned about the dangers of Vladimir Putin in 2008, when he was leader of the opposition, and Russian troops entered South Ossetia in Georgia.
And he spoke of how he was prime minister in 2014 when Putin’s “little green men” entered Crimea.
“I said that if we did not stand up to Putin, he would be back for more,” the foreign secretary told the UN.
“Now, having tried and failed to conquer all of Ukraine, the lesson of this history is clear. If we do not stand up to Putin, he will be back for more.”
He added that he believes the world “has started properly to wake up to Putin’s menace”.
Lord Cameron went on to criticise the Russian leader’s “ahistorical claim” Ukraine’s existence “is anti-Russian”.
“A claim which runs contrary to the principle of self-determination – one of the foundations of the United Nations.”
Image: David Cameron with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili in 2008. Pic: Reuters
The foreign secretary criticised the Russian claims that Western nations are “somehow out to dismember Russia” – a “central lie” in the conflict as he and other leaders spent years trying to build relationships with Moscow.
“We did that because we profoundly believe that a secure, stable Russia, at peace with its neighbours, is in our interests and the world’s,” he said.
“It is a tragedy that Putin prefers to hark back to the ninth century to justify aggression rather than taking up this offer of a different path.”
The secretary went on to explain why he believes “we must stay strong”.
A “win” in Ukraine for Putin “would not end there”.
“Putin could easily apply his distortions of history elsewhere, such as Moldova or the Baltic States, and others will be emboldened to turn to fighting when it suits them,” Lord Cameron said.
“No country with a large, aggressive neighbour would be safe.”
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Lord Cameron ended his speech by saying: “So yes, we should stand by Ukraine – but not just for Ukraine, not just for Europe, but for the world and a simple principle.
“The security of borders, the sanctity of nations, the principle of self-determination.
“Ukraine’s fight is our fight the world’s fight, and the world must stay strong.”
Sir Keir Starmer has urged anyone with information on the Jeffrey Epstein case to come forward after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor missed the deadline to appear in front of US Congress.
US legislators have criticised Andrew for what they describe as “silence” amid their probe into Epstein after he failed to respond to their request for an interview.
When asked about Andrew missing the deadline and whether the former princeshould help the case in any way he can, Sir Keir said on his way to the G20 summit in South Africa: “I don’t comment on this particular case.”
He added that “a general principle I’ve held for a very long time is that anybody who has got relevant information in relation to these kind of cases should give that evidence to those that need it”.
Andrew is not legally obliged to talk to Congress and has always vigorously denied any wrongdoing.
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Image: Sir Keir Starmer spoke to reporters on his way to the G20 in South Africa. Pic: Reuters
It comes as Marjorie Taylor Greene, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of US President Donald Trump, said on Friday she is resigning from Congress in January.
Ms Greene’s resignation followed a public falling-out with Mr Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticised him for his stance on files related to Epstein, as well as on foreign policy and healthcare.
Members of the House Oversight Committee had requested a “transcribed interview” with Andrew in connection with his “long-standing friendship” with Epstein, the paedophile financier who took his own life in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
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But after saying they had not heard back, Democrats Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam accused Andrew of hiding.
Their statement read: “Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s silence in the face of the Oversight Democrat’s demand for testimony speaks volumes.
“The documents we’ve reviewed, along with public records and Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s testimony, raise serious questions he must answer, yet he continues to hide.
“Our work will move forward with or without him, and we will hold anyone who was involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status, or political party. We will get justice for the survivors.”
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It follows Andrew being stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles earlier this month.
He had previously agreed to stop using his titles, but had expected to remain a prince and retain his dukedom, ahead of the publication of the memoirs of the late Ms Giuffre, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager – an accusation he denies.
A 13-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in Swindon.
Police said the teenager was detained following an incident in Baydon Close, Moredon, in the Wiltshire town on Friday evening.
Officers responded to reports of disorder inside a house. When they arrived, a woman in her 50s living at the address was found to be not breathing. She was declared dead at the scene.
There were no other reported injuries.
Image: Forensic officers are at the scene to collect evidence
Detective Inspector Darren Ambrose, from Wiltshire Police’s major crime investigation team, said: “This is a serious incident in which a woman has sadly died.
“We have set up a cordon at the address while an investigation is carried out.
“I can confirm that we have arrested a teenage girl in connection with this incident and we are not looking for anyone else.”
Police have asked people not to speculate about the incident online as this could prejudice the case.
A police statement read: “Residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area while we continue carrying out our enquiries into the woman’s death.
Rail fares are to be frozen for the first time in 30 years, the government has announced.
Ministers promised that millions of rail travellers will save hundreds of pounds on regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns between major cities.
The fare freeze applies to England and services run by English train operators.
People commuting to work three days a week using flexi-season tickets will save £315 a year travelling from Milton Keynes to London, £173 travelling from Woking to London and £57 from Bradford to Leeds, the government said.
The changes are part of Labour’s plans to rebuild a publicly owned Great British Railways. Other planned changes include tap in-tap out and digital ticketing, as well as investing in superfast Wi-Fi.
Image: The freeze applies to regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns. Pic: iStock
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government was introducing a freeze on rail fares for the first time in 30 years, which “will ease the pressure on household finances and make travelling to work, school or to visit friends and family that bit easier”.
“We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so we’re freezing fares to help millions of passengers save money,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.
“Commuters on more expensive routes will save more than £300 per year, meaning they keep more of their hard-earned cash.”
Rail unions and passenger groups welcomed the move, praising how it will make travel more affordable for passengers and promote more sustainable travel alternatives.
Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: “More affordable fares will encourage greater use of public transport, supporting jobs, giving a shot in the arm to local economies and helping to improve the environment.”
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the rail fare freeze “will be a huge relief to working people”.
“This is the right decision, at the right time, to help passengers be able to afford to make that journey they need to take, and to help grow our railway in this country, because the railway is Britain’s green alternative – taking cars and lorries off our congested roads and moving people and goods safely around our country in an environmentally-friendly way,” Mick Whelan, general secretary of the train drivers union Aslef, said.
The Tories welcomed the move but said the government was “late to the platform”.
Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said: “In government, the Conservatives kept fares on the right track with below-inflation rises and consistently called for no further hikes to protect hard-working commuters.”