The Prime Minister has called for tougher sanctions on Russia, after detailing evidence that pro-Russian separatists were responsible for shooting down flight MH17.
Speaking in the Commons this afternoon, David Cameron demanded a ban on the sale of military wares from the EU to Russia and asset freezes on Putin’s “cronies”.
He said that Russia cannot expect to keep enjoying access to European markets, capital, knowledge and technical expertise.
Noting the “reluctance” of some European countries to confront Russia about its involvement in the destabilisation of Ukraine, he said that they “should not need to be reminded of the consequences of turning a blind eye when big countries bully smaller countries.”
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“It is time to make our power, influence and resources count,” he added.
The Prime Minister confirmed he has spoken with Presidents Obama and Hollande and Chancellor Merkel, as well as the premiers of the Netherlands, Australia, Poland and Malaysia and said: “We’re all agreed on what must happen.”
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He called on Russia to exert influence on the pro-Russian separatists at the crash site to allow the repatriation of the bodies of the victims, “ensuring they are treated with dignity”. He also demanded uninhibited access for international investigators.
Russia must halt its support of separatists in the Ukraine too. Cameron said: “President Putin must use his influence to ensure an end to the conflict in Ukraine by halting supplies and training for the separatists.”
Pulling no punches, he made clear when the blame should be laid for the “appalling” crash: “The weight of evidence is pointing in one direction. MH17 was shot down by an SA11 missile fired by separatists.”
After paying tribute to the victims, Cameron said: “Alongside sympathy for the victims, there is anger. There is anger that this could happen at all. There is anger that the murder of men, women and children has been compounded by the sickening reports of looting of victims’ possessions and interference with the evidence.
“And there is rightly anger that a conflict that could have been curtailed by Moscow has instead been fomented by Moscow.”
He added: “This has to change now.”
Earlier today Tony Blair called for a common EU defence policy in order to stand up to Russian aggression “on its doorstep”.
Giving the Philip Gould memorial lecture on the 20th anniversary of his selection to the Labour leadership, Blair said that Putin must realise that if pro-Russian separatists are proven to be responsible for the “hideous” shooting down of MH17, the Russian leader must “take responsibility.”
The Prime Minister also made a statement about the conflict between Israel and Palestine. He made clear that the current crisis was “triggered by Hamas raining hundreds of rockets” on Israeli cities and reiterated “Israel’s right to take proportionate action to defend itself.”
He added, however, that when he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last night: “I urged him to do everything to avoid civilian casualties and bring the situation to an end.”