The prime minister used her first trip abroad to rally UN allies to keep up pressure on Russia, with government sources insisting that withdrawing from Ukraine was a “red line” for any resumption of diplomatic ties. On the plane to New York, Truss told reporters: “First Russia has to get out of Ukraine. And we need to make sure that there is an appropriate retribution for what happened in Ukraine, and we need to make sure that Russia is never again able to threaten countries on its borders.” It was not clear if he meant that Russia should give up all of Ukraine’s internationally recognized land, or if he excluded Crimea, which Putin annexed in 2014. Government sources suggested that the “reward” for Ukraine could range from financial reparations to war crimes tribunals, if any evidence was found. Truss later told Channel 5 News: “Well, what I was saying is that it’s not only important that Ukraine prevails. It is also important that this never happens again. And there has been serious damage across Ukraine. I am proud that the UK has stepped up or is working with Kyiv to help it rebuild. But I would expect that the Russian state, which has huge oil and gas reserves, should contribute to its reconstruction.” The US is currently considering whether seized Russian assets could be used immediately to fund reconstruction or humanitarian projects in Ukraine, rather than waiting until the end of the conflict, but the move must be signed off by the courts on a case-by-case basis . The prime minister made her remarks ahead of the launch of a briefing on the comprehensive review of defense and foreign policy, by her foreign affairs adviser Prof John Bew, to tackle the threat from authoritarian regimes such as Russia and China. It also doubled down on its pledge to increase defense spending to 3% of UK GDP by the end of the decade. During the trip to the US, Truss will pledge that the UK will next year match or exceed the £2.3bn of military aid to Ukraine given in 2022. No 10 said he would reiterate the pledge of of NATO spending for 2030, which the Royal United Services Institute thinktank said would cost an extra £157bn. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Truss will use a speech to the UN general assembly on Wednesday to pledge to define a “new era” of “hope and progress”. He is expected to say: “The story of 2022 could have been that of an authoritarian state rolling its tanks over the border of a peaceful neighbor and subjugating its people. “Instead, it is the story of freedom fighting back. But this shouldn’t be a one-off. Britain’s commitment to this is complete. Together with our friends and allies around the world, we will continue to defend freedom, sovereignty and democracy.”
