Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said the defence of one by all at the heart of the Nato alliance must become a global security and economic principle.
Ms Truss told leaders at Mansion House in the City of London that the new geopolitics after the Russian invasion of Ukraine meant that Nato countries should operate defence alliances beyond Europe.
“I mean that Nato must have a global outlook, ready to tackle global threats,” she said. “We need to pre-empt threats in the Indo-Pacific, working with allies like Japan and Australia to ensure that the Pacific is protected.”
Ms Truss said the G7 countries should adopt a similar approach, “collectively defending our prosperity”.
She said the UK would go “further and faster” in providing the heavy weapons required to push Russia out of all of Ukraine.
Ms Truss said it was “time for courage, not caution”, making it necessary for the West to send warplanes to Kyiv to defeat Moscow.
But she also warned that the invasion had shown global institutions, such as the UN and G20, had failed to curtail Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions, with the country's veto on the Security Council a “green light to barbarism”.
Ms Truss's outspoken demand to drive Russia out of Ukraine, including its removal from Crimea and the separatist territories seized in 2014, was the clearest signal yet that the West would not compromise until Mr Putin’s troops had been entirely thrown out.
The speech will further heighten tension after a British defence minister this week said it was “legitimate” for arms supplied by the UK to be used on targets inside Russia.
Moscow has responded by again raising the threat of nuclear war, suggesting it could strike supply lines outside Ukraine, possibly in Poland.
But Ms Truss was stark in her comments, which are among the strongest messages yet to Moscow that it now faces a formidable foe in Nato and an immense challenge in Ukraine.
“We will keep going further and faster to push Russia out of the whole of Ukraine,” she said on Wednesday evening.
“Some argue we shouldn’t provide heavy weapons for fear of provoking something worse. Inaction would be the greatest provocation. This is a time for courage, not caution.”
Despite Nato countries sending artillery, heavy anti-aircraft weapons, tanks and advanced missiles, Ms Truss urged them to “double down” in support for Ukraine as the war could be a “long haul”.
“Heavy weapons, tanks, aeroplanes – digging deep into our inventories, ramping up production, we need to do all of this,” she said.
“We cannot be complacent. The fate of Ukraine remains in the balance."
If Mr Putin were victorious, there would be “untold further misery across Europe”, and “terrible consequences across the globe”.
Ms Truss said Europe must cut itself off from Russian energy supplies and stop sending millions of dollars into Mr Putin’s war chest.
“There must be nowhere for Putin to go to fund this appalling war,” she said. “That means cutting off oil and gas imports once and for all.”
Ms Truss said Nato must ensure the security of other East European countries that are prone to Russian aggression, including Moldova, Georgia and the Western Balkans.
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
more from Janine di Giovanni
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.