On Thursday, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss spoke at length about the recent changes in the global geopolitical landscape, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the emergence of China as a major threat to the West. Against this backdrop, she urged the United Kingdom (UK) and the West at large to adapt to the rapidly evolving security environment.
Truss began by countering claims, especially by Russia and China, that Western power and values have been declining. “Recent months have shown the deep resilience of the human spirit and of free societies,” she said, referring to Ukraine’s resistance against Russia and Western support for the former.
Russia-Ukraine War
Saying that “the free world has united behind Ukraine in its brave fight for freedom and self-determination,” Truss warned Moscow cannot win through oppression, coercion or invasion and that the UK along with its allies will “ensure that the aggressors fail.”
We must learn the lessons from Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. This has to be a catalyst for change to protect the free world.
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) April 27, 2022
We need a new approach based on military strength, economic security and deeper alliances.
My speech tonight 👇https://t.co/BSZh2jLBQa
Nevertheless, she cautioned the West against complacency, saying, “if Putin succeeds there will be untold further misery across Europe and terrible consequences across the globe.” Therefore, it is important that “we […] prepare for the long haul” and “double down on our support for Ukraine,” she noted.
Truss stressed that her vision for the future is one where “free nations are assertive and in the ascendant” and “aggressors are contained and forced to take a better path.”
For this to come to fruition, Truss said that the current system needs to change. “The architecture that was designed to guarantee peace and prosperity has failed Ukraine [and] they have enabled rather than contained aggression,” referring to Russia’s ability to veto “any effective action” in the United Nations Security Council. She also said that economic organisations like the G20 cannot function properly while Russia is a member.
My vision is a world where free nations are assertive and in the ascendant.
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) April 28, 2022
Where freedom and democracy are strengthened through a network of economic and security partnerships.
Where aggressors are contained and forced to take a better path.
💬 https://t.co/BSZh2jLBQa pic.twitter.com/eM0N3tq9N1
She asserted that these organisations have given Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom she described as a “desperate rogue operator with no interest in international norms,” the “green light to barbarism.” Furthermore, she noted that the current system has enabled leaders like Putin to consolidate more power and gain global leverage. In this respect, Truss rejected the notion that economic integration drives political change.
“We now need a new approach, one that melds hard security and economic security, one that builds stronger global alliances and where free nations are more assertive and self-confident, one that recognises geopolitics is back,” the British foreign secretary declared.
“Faced with appalling barbarism and war crimes, which we’d hoped had been consigned to history, the free world has united behind Ukraine in its brave fight for freedom and self-determination.”
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) April 27, 2022
- @TrussLiz speaking at Mansion House tonight🧵 pic.twitter.com/MDUgVMfnub
Truss added that the West is ready to tackle bullies like Russia by using its security and economic might. To this end, she called on countries opposed to Russian actions in Ukraine to provide greater military and economic aid to Kyiv. “Ukraine deserves nothing less than a landmark international effort to rebuild their towns and cities, regenerate their industries, and secure their freedom for the long term,” she argued.
While she called on the UK to send heavy weapons, tanks, and aeroplanes to Ukraine, she later backtracked by saying that London would only send “plane parts” to Kyiv and not warplanes.
She also called on countries to impose more sanctions on Russia, asserting, “There must be nowhere for Putin to fund this appalling war. That means cutting off oil and gas imports once and for all.”
“We are doubling down. We will keep going further and faster to push Russia out of the whole of Ukraine,” Truss said, adding that the UK plans to do this through a “new approach,” which includes bolstering military and economic support for Ukraine, and creating “deeper” global alliances.
NATO
Truss argued that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries need to strengthen their collective defence and be more flexible, agile, and integrated. “The Eastern Flank must be strengthened, and we must support crucial states like Poland. That’s why we are increasing our troop presence and we’re deepening our defence cooperation,” she stated.
She added, “Some argue we shouldn’t provide heavy weapons for fear of provoking something worse. But my view is that inaction would be the greatest provocation. This is a time for courage not for caution.”
Moreover, Truss underscored that NATO’s open-door policy is “sacrosanct” and the alliance should integrate Sweden and Finland as soon as possible if they choose to join. “We need to defend ourselves against attacks in space and cyberspace as well as by land, air and sea,” the Foreign Secretary added.
“We also reject the false choice between Euro-Atlantic security and Indo-Pacific security. In the modern world, we need both,” Truss asserted. “We need a global NATO. By that, I don’t mean extending the membership to those from other regions. I mean that NATO must have a global outlook, ready to tackle global threats,” the British official clarified.
In a hawkish speech last night, UK foreign sec Liz Truss said China's "rise isn't inevitable".
— Finbarr Bermingham (@fbermingham) April 28, 2022
"They will not continue to rise if they don’t play by the rules. China needs trade with the G7. We represent half of the global economy. And we have choices."
(via @BeijingToBrit)
She also mentioned the Chinese threat in the Indo-Pacific and urged NATO to work with Japan and Australia to ensure that the region is protected. However, she curiously failed to mention India, which the United States and many western countries see as a crucial partner in thwarting Chinese expansion in the Indo-Pacific. Last week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said during his visit to India that New Delhi is a key partner in ensuring that the Indo-Pacific remains free and open.
Economic Security
Noting that the economy plays a major role in maintaining security, Truss claimed that the UK is using sanctions in a “much more assertive way” to deter Russia. “We recognise that growth from cheap gas and money syphoned from kleptocracies is growth built on sand. It’s not the same as real, sustained growth from higher productivity and greater innovation,” she posited.
In this respect, she warned that Russia will no longer have a free pass in the global economy. “We have raised tariffs on Russian goods. We’ve cut them off from WTO [World Trade Organization] terms. We’ve banned their ships from our ports, we’ve banned their planes from our airports. We have sanctioned more individuals and organisations than any other nation.”
She added, “We’re cutting off the funding for Putin’s war effort. We are also cutting investment ties with Russia [and] are removing all import tariffs for Ukraine, and we’re supporting the Ukrainian economy with loan guarantees, fiscal support and investment.”
China
Truss also noted that China has been extending support to Russia over Ukraine. “Beijing has not condemned Russian aggression or its war crimes. Russian exports to China rose by almost a third in the first quarter of this year,” she said. In this regard, she warned that Beijing is “rapidly building a military capable of projecting power deep into areas of European strategic interest” and NATO needs to counter this.
While acknowledging China’s strength, she said that the Asian giant is not impervious. “By talking about the rise of China as inevitable we are doing China’s work for it. In fact, their rise isn’t inevitable. They will not continue to rise if they don’t play by the rules,” Truss said.
Saying that the West’s reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine should serve as a warning to China, Truss added, “We have shown with Russia the kind of choices we’re prepared to make when international rules are violated. And we’ve shown that we’re prepared to prioritise security and respect for sovereignty over short-term economic gain.”
Moreover, she talked about the importance of creating wider trade links. She said that the West is working on new free trade agreements with countries like India and Indonesia, and trying to bring them into the fold of economic alliances like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Her remarks come shortly after Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak admitted that the sharp decline of British exports compared to other G7 economies is due to the impact of Brexit. While global trade exports rose by 8.2% in the three months leading up to January compared to the same period in 2020, the UK’s exports declined by 14% over the same period. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has claimed that leaving the European Union (EU) in 2019 has resulted in the UK’s imports and exports declining by 15%.
Deeper Global Alliances
Truss said that going forward the West’s prosperity and security must be built on a “network of liberty” and strong partnerships. Accordingly, the West should boost existing alliances like NATO, the Five Eyes Alliance, and AUKUS, while also boosting ties with India, Indonesia, and Japan.
“The G7 should act as an economic NATO, collectively defending our prosperity. If the economy of a partner is being targeted by an aggressive regime, we should act to support them. All for one and one for all,” she stressed.
In conclusion, Truss said, “Together we have tremendous strength. Let’s use it to forge a better, more secure world and a stronger global economy. This will take the energies of all the people in this room and beyond. It will be hard. But we have to step up and take responsibility.”