War in Ukraine: Liz Truss hits out at ‘catastrophic failure’ of Vladimir Putin in UN speech

Vladimir Putin is desperately trying to justify a “catastrophic” failure in Ukraine, Liz Truss has said, accusing the Russian president of “sabre rattling” after he warned his country would use “all the means at our disposal” to protect itself

Mr Putin’s move to call up thousands of extra troops was branded a “sign” the invasion of Ukraine was failing, as world leaders gathered at a United Nations summit in New York to discuss the ongoing Russian assault on Ukraine.

The summit comes as it was confirmed five British nationals held by Russian-backed forces had been safely returned.

The Russian president’s comments in a televised address to the nation appeared to suggest the conflict in Ukraine could spiral into a nuclear crisis, as he accused the West of engaging in “nuclear blackmail”.

Liz Truss leaves the United Nations after meeting President Joe Biden

He announced a partial military mobilisation, with 300,000 reservists set to be called up as the Kremlin attempts to regain ground in the face of a counter-attack by Ukraine’s forces.

And Mr Putin said “it’s not a bluff” when he vowed that Russia would use its weapons of mass destruction if its territory was threatened.

But Ms Truss, addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday night, praised the “strength of collective purpose” in response to Mr Putin’s invasion so far, as she warned support for Ukraine must not wane.

She said: “In Ukraine, barbarous weapons are being used to kill and maim people. Rape is being used as an instrument of war. Families are being torn apart.

“And this morning we have seen Putin desperately trying to justify his catastrophic failures.

“He is doubling down by sending even more reservists to a terrible fate.

“He is desperately trying to claim the mantle of democracy for a regime without human rights or freedoms.

“And he is making yet more bogus claims and sabre-rattling threats.

“This will not work. The international alliance is strong – Ukraine is strong.”

The Prime Minister told fellow world leaders the UK would spend 3 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030, repeating a promise she made when she campaigned to become Tory leader.

She said: “In the face of rising aggression we have shown we have the power to act and the resolve to see it through. But this must not be a one-off.

“This must be a new era in which we commit to ourselves, our citizens, and this institution that we will do whatever it takes – whatever it takes to deliver for our people and defend our values.”

Ms Truss praised the “brave, dignified” Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska, who is attending the summit in New York.

And the Prime Minister also drew an explicit link between the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis facing the UK and countries across Europe, as she promised not to be “coerced or harmed” by cutting off “toxic power and pipelines” from authoritarian regimes.

US president Joe Biden separately declared Russia had “shamelessly violated the core tenets” of the United Charter. He described the invasion of Ukraine as a “brutal, needless war” as he looked to rally allies to stand firm in backing the Ukrainian resistance.

Delivering a forceful condemnation of Russia’s seven-month invasion, Mr Biden said reports of Russian abuses against civilians in Ukraine “should make your blood run cold”.

And he said Mr Putin’s new nuclear threats against Europe showed “reckless disregard” for Russia’s responsibilities as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

He criticised Russia for scheduling “sham referenda” this week in territory it has forcibly seized in Ukraine.

“A permanent member of the UN Security Council invaded its neighbour, attempted to erase a sovereign state from the map – Russia has shamelessly violated the core tenets of the UN charter,” he told his UN audience.

“This war is about extinguishing Ukraine’s right to exist as a state, plain and simple, and Ukraine’s right to exist as a people.

“Wherever you are, wherever you live, whatever you believe … that should make your blood run cold.”

Mr Putin had earlier issued a direct warning to the West in noting “statements of some high-ranking representatives of the leading Nato states about the possibility of using nuclear weapons of mass destruction against Russia”.

The Russian president said: “To those who allow themselves such statements regarding Russia, I want to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction, and for separate components and more modern than those of Nato countries and when the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal.”

But the UK’s defence secretary Ben Wallace said Mr Putin’s actions were “an admission that his invasion is failing”.

“No amount of threats and propaganda can hide the fact that Ukraine is winning this war, the international community are united and Russia is becoming a global pariah,” he said.

James Cleverly, the UK’s new foreign secretary, is set to condemn Vladimir Putin’s atrocities in Ukraine when he meets his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Thursday for the first time.