Sussex MPs react as Russia invades Ukraine

President Putin ordered military operations in its neighbouring nation overnight with explosions reported across Ukraine including in the west of the country.

The Prime Minister has been holding a Cobra meeting this morning following the invasion.

MPs across the county have been reacting to the news.

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Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas said the news was ‘devastating’, writing on Twitter: “My thoughts and prayers are with the people of #Ukraine on this darkest of days.

“This vile act of aggression must be met with the strongest of sanctions – which we should have applied already – and by finally ending role of Russian money in UK.”

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Crawley MP Henry Smith tweeted: “With sick irony Russian President Putin spoke of “the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine” earlier this morning as he reintroduced war to Europe.”

Wealden’s Nus Ghani and Hastings MP Sally Ann Hart retweeted statements from Prime Minister Boris Johnson on their Twitter feeds.

Mid Sussex MP Mims Davies shared an update from the Defence Secretary which said Russia had ‘further violated Ukrainian sovereignty’.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle, MP for Brighton Kemptown, shared various tweets, including from Sir Keir Starmer.

And Peter Kyle, MP for Hove and Portslade, tweeted: “Labour stands with the Ukrainian people. Maximum sanctions must be applied, now.

“Waking up this morning and listening to Ukrainians deciding whether to flee or fight was heartbreaking.

“Putin has no right or justification to inflict such horror.”

Meanwhile, Sir Peter Bottomley, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, said he would support an emergency debate in Parliament if one was called.

“If the Speaker and the Prime Minister agree, it could be appropriate for an Emergency debate in the Commons on Saturday,” he said.

“I would support that.

“Those who a week ago said the leaders the Western Alliance misunderstood President Putin are wrong.

“Those who thought the approaching crisis could be resolved by Ukraine denying itself the possibility of ever growing closer to the Western and Free Alliances were wrong.

“It is now clear that President Putin hates the decisions by Lenin and Stalin to have a distinct Ukraine.

“A safer future required western nations to cooperate, to stand together and to be prepared to pay the price for mutual aid and defence.

“My constituents will expect me to encourage and to back resolute, united UK leadership.”

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton earlier tweeted that the invasion was ‘illegal, unprovoked completely unjustified’.

In response to our request for comment, he said: “We must always stand up to bullies. The way the West reacts to this warmongering act will have major ramifications for the way that other international bullies like China may be encouraged to take the law into their own hands too and we must not forget those smaller nations beyond Ukraine who face an uncertain future in Russia’s shadow.

“In standing with Ukraine we stand for freedom, democracy and the international rule of law, values which we hold dear and take for granted but which are being removed from millions of our friends abroad as we speak.”

Some MPs addressed the issue in their weekly columns in our newspapers.

Huw Merrimen, Bexhill and Battle MP, wrote: “These are very worrying times for peace in Europe.

“The aggression from Russia has to be met by a strong, united approach from all democracies across the globe.

“Ukraine is not a NATO member so, whilst we do not have a duty to intervene directly, the UK has been supplying arms and training.

“What we must now do is to hit Russia financially.”

Caroline Ansell, MP for Eastbourne, said today’s development was the ‘terrible news we all dreaded’.

“There is war in Europe the likes of which we thought was consigned to history,” she said.

“My thoughts are with the Ukrainian people today who are facing invasion, suffering and danger when they have done nothing wrong other than wanting to live in freedom and make choices about their country’s future.”

She added: “I am appalled at the loss of life already reported. This is truly a dark day for Europe – the darkest since the Balkan conflict 30 years ago.

“The UK government has made it clear it will stand in support with the democratically elected Ukrainian government and more severe sanctions will now be imposed on Russia.

“But the West must work together to impose the toughest sanctions possible towards Putin and his cronies across the board and for the long term. His aggressive and reckless actions have made his country a pariah state.”

Maria Caulfield, MP for Lewes, said the situation was ‘unacceptable and all political parties are united against the actions of Russia’.

She added: “The PM will be coming back to the House of Commons tonight to outline further measures that will be taken.

“The effects of the conflict will be felt by all of us from fuel prices increasing to possible cyber attacks here in the UK

“We remain in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.”

Hastings MP Sally Ann Hart added her support for the people of Ukraine.

She said: ““The ongoing and horrific invasion of Ukraine at the behest of Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin puts on show the despotic nature of the current Russian regime for all to see.

“I stand in absolute solidary with the brave people of Ukraine in the face of unwarranted military aggression, and I fully support the tough economic measures being levied against the aggressors by the British Government and our allies in Europe, across the Atlantic and around the world.

“Putin’s attempt to re-draw the borders of an independent, free and democratic European country must end in abject failure, and I will continue to encourage the Government to take all action necessary to this end. Slava Ukraini!”