Is Liz Truss intending to take the UK to war?

She's trying to look tough - and playing with fire.

There is no need for the UK to be on a war footing!

That was my thinking too Riverwalk. I am open to being told this is to help Ukraine and particularly Mariupol, but can't see it at the moment.

One of my worries is that, although we will always be suspicious of anything Putin says, they have said there can be an evacuation of civilians from Mariupol. The UN is mobilising a team from around the world to coordinate this evacuation. I can't see how this speech will help. To have any hope of a Dunkirk-like rescue of the fighters we have to get the civilians out first.

My very thoughts too.
Margaret Thatcher & Tony Blair come to mind but Russia under Putin is neither Saddam Hussein nor General Galtieri.

The Western World has been on a^war footing^ ever since they Ukraine with arms.

The anti has been upped once fuel depots inside Russia were targeted whether it was Ukraine using missiles from other Countries or President Putins own forces, President Putin will use this as an attack from the West.

I would rather have a Foreign Minister talking firmly than one who appears to waiver in front of a tyrant.

Unfortunately the following weeks will be crucial, it’s a wait and see situation and we can only hope…

Oops they armed Ukraine

Sorry not sure what happened

As for President Putin allowing the civilian evacuation from Mariupol, he has consistently backtracked on his word.

GrannyGravy13

The Western World has been on a^war footing^ ever since they Ukraine with arms.

The anti has been upped once fuel depots inside Russia were targeted whether it was Ukraine using missiles from other Countries or President Putins own forces, President Putin will use this as an attack from the West.

I would rather have a Foreign Minister talking firmly than one who appears to waiver in front of a tyrant.

Unfortunately the following weeks will be crucial, it’s a wait and see situation and we can only hope…

I think there is being on a "war footing" and threatening war GrannyGravy I am totally happy that we help Ukraine. I might even accept that we take this to Russia instead of allowing them to encroach on Ukraine territory. However, I have no faith in Liz Truss's sure-footedness on this; that could make her pronouncements a disaster. She has always seemed to have one eye on the leadership rather than both on the job she is doing at the moment.

I trust the Heads of our Armed Forces and Intelligence Services who are no doubt keeping Ms. Truss fully informed on a daily basis.

President Putin is not interested in a peace settlement as was illustrated by his total disrespect offered to the delegation from UN at the weekend.

GrannyGravy13

I trust the Heads of our Armed Forces and Intelligence Services who are no doubt keeping Ms. Truss fully informed on a daily basis.

President Putin is not interested in a peace settlement as was illustrated by his total disrespect offered to the delegation from UN at the weekend.

She might well be being kept fully informed, but I have no confidence in her being able to process and use the information in any meaningful or useful way. She's not the sharpest tool in the box, is she?

She seems to be the exact opposite of what you would expect. I wonder what is the motivation behind the rhetoric. Who's pulling the strings and why?

I really hope we are not headed to war. Ive had to stop watching the news. It's having a negative effect on me. War is such a b****y waste. I wish someone could find out what does President Putin really want with Ukraine. I just don't understand any of it. These poor people in Ukraine, it breaks my heart.

My advice to our government, don't underestimate President Putin.

Come on Jeremy Hunt as a previous foreign minister what do you have to say? This is a gathering for Johnson’s job so anything goes. The trouble is that I want the contenders to ensure their views are based on this country’s best interest and not on political opportunity. We have had enough of that from Johnson. Out of the lot of them I believe Hunt is the most able contender although he is keeping his powder dry.

MaizieD

GrannyGravy13

I trust the Heads of our Armed Forces and Intelligence Services who are no doubt keeping Ms. Truss fully informed on a daily basis.

President Putin is not interested in a peace settlement as was illustrated by his total disrespect offered to the delegation from UN at the weekend.

She might well be being kept fully informed, but I have no confidence in her being able to process and use the information in any meaningful or useful way. She's not the sharpest tool in the box, is she?

I totally trust the Heads of our Armed Forces and Intelligence Services but that is a dive for cover if ever I saw one.

Like Maizie I am questioning the competence of Lizz Truss and this government.

MaizieD

GrannyGravy13

I trust the Heads of our Armed Forces and Intelligence Services who are no doubt keeping Ms. Truss fully informed on a daily basis.

President Putin is not interested in a peace settlement as was illustrated by his total disrespect offered to the delegation from UN at the weekend.

She might well be being kept fully informed, but I have no confidence in her being able to process and use the information in any meaningful or useful way. She's not the sharpest tool in the box, is she?

That is my worry.

Being kept informed is one thing, but making decisions is quite another, and that is up to the politicians - look at the shower we have - it is very alarming.

The only consolation is that the USA is almost certainly making the decisions and the rest of NATO is complying - within reason if course. But what I’m trying to say is that it is very unlikely that the U.K. government is making any decisions autonomously.

Lovetopaint037

Come on Jeremy Hunt as a previous foreign minister what do you have to say? This is a gathering for Johnson’s job so anything goes. The trouble is that I want the contenders to ensure their views are based on this country’s best interest and not on political opportunity. We have had enough of that from Johnson. Out of the lot of them I believe Hunt is the most able contender although he is keeping his powder dry.

I think you would have to go to the back-benches for someone who is not as self-centred (polite version) as Johnson - or outside this terrible party.

I wish someone could find out what does President Putin really want with Ukraine.

Ukraine has been at war with Russia for over 2 months and people still don't know what Putin is after? 😱

He wants to rebuild the Soviet empire, dismantled in the 1980s. He claims that Ukraine has always been part of Russia and never an independent country in ts own right. He wants to obliterate the Ukranian people and culture.

It's suspected that his ambitions run to more than just reclaiming Ukraine for Russia. He has his eye on the neighbouring former Soviet states. He wants to Make Russia Great Again... In the meantime, a couple of deep sea ports with access to the Black Sea would come in very handy and ruin Ukraine's economy.

He is a mad megalomaniac, and possibly has "roid rage" from taking steroids.

I still say Boris has been waiting for his "Churchill" moment and he wont go until he gets it,shame if it means we'll all be blown to kingdom come in the process.
Putin wants Ukraine for its wealth of natural recourses ,war is the only way he can get control of them.
Thankfully for us Bojo and WM dont have to go to war to get Scottish wealth they just have to rely on the unionists to vote for their parties .That way the oil has run for WM since the 70's(and still does) and the exports on their accounts .

The Ukraine has been at war with Russia since 2014, it escalated 2 months ago.

Ukraine has resources that Putin coverts. Putin wants it for its strategic convenience - to easily access Europe bit by bit.

The Ukrainian people are just in his way

He is a paranoid madman.

Who is going to stop him and how?

Liz Truss is simply trying to get the top job. I have no confidence whatsoever in her. Dangerous talk and all that.

Germanshepherdsmum

Liz Truss is simply trying to get the top job. I have no confidence whatsoever in her. Dangerous talk and all that.

I agree. There’s absolutely no need for her to keep making potentially inflammatory statements, it serves no purpose except to make her look foolhardy.