Appendix 2.
Ministry of Defence
JAMES HEAPPEY MP
MINISTER FOR THE ARMED FORCES
Our ref: D/Min(AF)/JH MC2022/03391e
Your ref: CP42780
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
FLOOR 5, ZONE B, MAIN BUILDING
WHITEHALL LONDON SW1A 2HB
Telephone 020 7218 9000 (Switchboard)
March 2022
Thank you for your email of 11 March 2022 on behalf of your constituent Christopher
King of (address deleted), suggesting an alternative approach
to de-escalating the war in Ukraine. Mr King has asked we consider the strategy that
President Kennedy adopted to de-escalate the Cuban Missile Crisis by ignoring
differences and negatives and concentrating on what positive actions were possible.
He suggests that a positive morally based approach should be used.
Putin's assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked, premeditated attack against a sovereign
democratic state. Never serious about engaging in diplomacy - focussed only on deceit
and furthering territorial ambitions - the Russian Government has lied to the world and
to their own people. The UK and our allies will hold the Russian Government to account.
We stand with Ukraine and will always defend the Ukrainian people's right to choose
their own destiny.
Though the UK and our allies tried every avenue for diplomacy until the final hour, we
conclude Russia was never serious about engaging in diplomacy. Putin was always
determined to attack his neighbour, no matter what we did.
Throughout this crisis, NATO, individual Allies, and our partners have made every effort
to pursue diplomacy and dialogue with Russia, including at the highest levels, and made
many substantive proposals to enhance the security of all nations in the Euro Atlantic
region. NATO has repeatedly invited Russia to talks in the NATO-Russia Council.
Russia has still not reciprocated. It is Russia, and Russia alone, which has chosen
escalation.
Putin has denied that Ukraine has any "tradition of genuine statehood", claimed that it
posed a "direct threat to the security of Russia", and hurled numerous other false
accusations and aspersions. This position is entirely unacceptable and breaks
fundamental tenets of international law. We call on the Russian Government to halt its
aggression now, withdraw its forces and abide by the international commitments it
signed up to freely.
Chris Philp MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
(page break)
Please reassure your constituent that we and our NATO Allies are ready for substantive
discussions in good faith with Russia. This dialogue would cover what Russia says it
wants, from strategic nuclear weapons and force posture, to exercises and incidents at
sea. This is a serious offer which would improve European security for Russia and
NATO. But these talks must be based on de-escalation and an end to aggression
against Ukraine. Our channels of communication with Russia remain open, including
through embassy staffs in London and Moscow. The means through which we can
conduct dialogue exist, but it is Russia's willingness to conduct meaningful dialogue
which remains the issue
.
We will continue to support the Ukrainian Government in the face of this assault on their
sovereignty and territorial integrity with this unprecedented national and international
response.
I hope this response reassures your constituent of the work the UK Government and UK
Defence to de-escalate the conflict and ensure European security.
JAMES HEAPPEY MP
Appendix 3
This is the heading for the Eco-Health Alliance's Proposal to the US Military (DARPA) for an engineered Virus in coordination with the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The proposal was ostensibly rejected by DARPA and funded by Antonio Fauchi using US government money. I suggest that this funding route was to avoid a direct connection with DARPA. The direct link exists however with DARPA's support of WIV participation in human infective virus engineering at the University of North Carolina.