\n<\/p>\n
A Labour government would have an “iron-clad commitment” to supporting Ukraine against Putin<\/a><\/span><\/span>, two shadow ministers have said.<\/p>\n The pledge came as shadow foreign secretary David Lammy<\/a><\/span><\/span> and shadow defence secretary John Healey<\/a><\/span><\/span> visited the country’s capital, Kyiv.<\/p>\n The pair visited to discuss a “new UK plan” to help ensure victory against Russia’s “imperial invasion”.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Labour would not match Tory defence spending.<\/p>\n In a joint statement, Mr Lammy and Mr Healey said they visited together to show a united front against Mr Putin’s attempts to divide the West.<\/p>\n “Moscow’s deepened cooperation with Beijing, Tehran and Pyongyang requires us to deepen our co-operation with Britain’s allies to demonstrate that our commitment to Ukraine will outlast Vladmir Putin’s imperial invasion,” they said.<\/p>\n “The next Labour government’s commitment to Ukraine will be ironclad, and European security will be our first foreign and defence priority.<\/p>\n “Labour’s action plan lays out a wide-ranging approach to stand with Ukraine, confront Russian aggression and pursue Putin for his war crimes. We will stand with Ukraine until it wins.”<\/p>\n The visit was intended to send a message that, should Labour win the next general election, there would be “no change in our military, diplomatic, financial and political support to Ukraine”, they said.<\/p>\n As Russian attacks on the Kharkiv region intensify, the Labour MPs met the head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, to discuss what a Labour government’s priorities would be.<\/p>\n The plan for Ukraine sets out five priorities: fast-tracking military support, deepening diplomatic efforts, targeting Russian aggression, boosting industrial production and supporting recovery and reconstruction.<\/p>\n Mr Lammy and Mr Healey pledged that a Labour government would help to create “a clear path for Ukraine’s Nato membership” and called for a renewed focus on co-operation between Nato nations leading up to the Nato75 Summit in July.<\/p>\n The pair also set out a wide-ranging plan to back Ukraine in the long term, including action to isolate Russia.<\/p>\n Earlier on Monday, Mr Sunak said the UK “stands at a crossroads” ahead of “some of the most dangerous years”, in a pre-election pitch to voters.<\/p>\n