Britain only ‘prolonging war’ by arming Ukraine, says Corbyn
JEREMY CORBYN has been labelled “deeply irresponsible” after criticising the UK and the West for supplying Ukraine with weapons to defend itself from Russia, saying it would only prolong the war.
Britain has sent hundreds of millions of pounds worth of military aid to Ukraine in recent months and President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly praised Boris Johnson for standing by Kyiv in the fight against Vladimir Putin.
However, the former Labour leader said: “Pouring arms in isn’t going to bring about a solution. It is only going to prolong and exaggerate this war.”
He said it was “disappointing [that] hardly any of the world’s leaders use the word peace” when discussing the war and claimed too many “use the language of more war and more bellicose war”. The independent MP for Islington North also said that “much more effort” must be put into securing a peace deal and if the UN cannot negotiate a ceasefire then it should make way for an organisation that can.
“The African Union, League of Arab States, there are many forums around the world that have no direct economic interest one way or the other between Russia and Ukraine who might be able to broker a peace,” the 73-year-old said.
“But there has to be peace, otherwise what are we looking at?” He made the comments in an interview with Al Mayadeen, an independent Arabic satellite news channel.
Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the defence select committee, said: “He is illustrating yet again why he would have been such an inappropriate prime minister for the nation because he doesn’t understand that the geopolitical consequences of supporting democracy occasionally means using hard power. This is deeply irresponsible for a senior politician. I hope his comments are not seen to [undermine] the wider support for, and the commitment to, supporting Ukraine following this unprovoked invasion by Putin.”
The UK has been one of the leading backers of Mr Zelensky as his forces try to repel the Russian invasion.
Mr Corbyn said such support would not end the war. “Putting more and more arms into Ukraine isn’t going to bring about it [peace]. Ukrainians are dying, Ukrainians have gone into exile, thousands and thousands, and Russian soldiers are dying, conscripted young Russian soldiers are dying.
“This war is disastrous for the people of Ukraine, for the people of Russia and for the safety and security of the whole world,” he added.
Mr Zelensky has made it clear that he will not agree to cede any land to Russia to secure a peace deal.