EXCLUSIVE: South West politics expert urges UK government to 'stand behind Ukraine' amid Russia conflict
Dr Sarah Whitmore has previously lived in both Ukraine and Russia
Last updated 16th Feb 2022
A politics expert from the South West has urged the UK government to pledge its support to Ukraine, amid the country's ongoing conflict with Russia.
Tensions between the two nations have shown little sign of subsiding in recent days. 24 hours after Russia claimed it's withdrawing troops from the Ukrainian border, NATO has said military numbers are actually increasing.
Speaking exclusively to Greatest Hits Radio, Dr Sarah Whitmore has called on Conservative leaders to help a nation that has been at war with Russia since 2014.
"I think it's really important that the British government continues to stand firmly behind Ukraine, to support them in whatever ways that it can," she said.
Dr Whitmore used to live in both Russia and Ukraine, but is now a Senior Lecturer in Politics at Oxford Brookes University, which has a campus in Swindon.
She believes Ministers in Britain should also consider cutting some "financial flows" with Russia.
"I know there have already been some moves by the government to do this. There are certainly plenty of things that can be done there, to put pressure on the Russian regime," she added.
'A very difficult and messy war'
NATO's secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg claims Moscow is continuing its military build-up on the Ukrainian border, with UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace confirming there is no evidence that soldiers have been evacuated.
The Kremlin denies this, insisting troops are being de-escalated.
Dr Whitmore has told us, if necessary, citizens across Ukraine are ready for battle.
"Ukrainians are very resourceful and polls suggest, consistently, that they will fight. Large numbers of them will fight.
"The figures I saw were something like 33% (of Ukrainians) were prepared to take up arms and a further 20% were prepared to take other means of passive resistance, or active resistance like demonstrations.
"This is a country of 44 million people, so that's quite a substantial number. It would make for a very difficult and messy war".
Why is the conflict relevant in Britain?
Whilst animosity continues in and around Ukraine, the potential impacts on UK life are widespread.
The invasion of Russia could hinder Ukraine's ability to export goods. The cost of some agricultural products may subsequently rise in Britain, including chicken, corn, honey and barley. There is also a danger that the well-documented hike in fuel prices will be sustained.
According to Dr Whitmore, an increasingly powerful Russia could mean its security threat in Britain is exacerbated too. This was allegedly showcased during the 2018 Novichok poisonings in Salisbury, where British citizen Dawn Sturgess died.
Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied any involvement in the poisonings, but three Russian nationals have since been charged for delivering the nerve agent.
The Politics lecturer also cites ethical concerns, regarding Britain's role in aiding Russia's financial interests. Fees in the City of London for asset managers, lawyers and PR companies that support Russia are reportedly worth ÂŁ500 million to the UK economy.
"There's an increasingly common term the 'London laundry mat'. Britain is acting to launder dirty money for Russia, which is supporting a regime that is increasingly oppressing its own citizens," Dr Whitmore added.