David Davis has questioned the sustainability of the Government’s diplomatic strategy for the current Crimean crisis

David Davis has questioned the sustainability of the Government’s diplomatic strategy for the current Crimean crisis.

Concern was raised during today’s Statement on Ukraine that France has a $1billion dollar contract to build Russian warships. The Foreign Secretary accepted there were difficulties but emphasised the need for a united approach to diplomacy with Russia.

Regarding this concern Sir David Davis asked the Foreign Secretary: “the implication of what he has said is that if the Russians continue with their current strategy, there will be targeted sanctions against Russia from the EU, NATO and the US. Russia will respond by retaliating against individual countries to try to fracture the unity of that policy. Is he confident that he can maintain the unity of that policy in the long run, and what action is he taking to make sure of that?

The Foreign Secretary responded: “As my right hon. Friend will have noticed, I have stressed several times the importance of unity among the western nations, including in the European Union; the importance of any measures being well judged and well targeted; and the importance of any measures being legally sustainable. That is why these matters require calm and careful consideration, rather than quick unilateral announcements by this country or any other member state of the EU.”