Russia Armed Forces 2024-10-14
2024-10-14
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
▸
Context
The question arises from the need to understand Russia's capacity for continuing its invasion of Ukraine, based on recent estimates of their military spending.
What recent estimate his Department has made of the percentage of Russia's gross domestic product spent on its armed forces in each year since the invasion of Ukraine?
Russia's declared total military expenditure was around 4.7% of GDP in 2022. In 2023 it was 5.9% of GDP, and the forecast spending this year is up to around 7% of GDP.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Direct Answer
▸
Context
The question stems from the need to understand how the UK is balancing its support for Ukraine with maintaining adequate military resources.
Does that frightening set of figures not show the scale of the problem and the weight of attack that Russia can bring to bear against Ukraine? How are we doing with the double demand on our resources—the need to both supply Ukraine with hardware and ammunition, and replenish our stocks of hardware and ammunition in order to fulfil our NATO security requirements?
The Government already have £1 billion-worth of contracts for replenishing UK stockpiles across a range of systems, and I can tell him that around 60% of the contracted production will be in the UK. That is the way we strengthen Britain's security for the future, but also strengthen Britain's economic growth and prosperity.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The question is prompted by the need for reassurance about ongoing support from allies for Ukraine's future stability.
I thank the Secretary of State for the work he is doing to support Ukraine. It is very important that we have a united front, and that we are there for the long term to support Ukraine, as we have already heard this morning. What is his view about the determination of our allies to see this conflict through right to the end?
I recently attended the US-led gathering of almost 50 countries in Ramstein, where they made a long-term commitment to supporting Ukraine now and into the future. That gave me confidence that, with work, we can play a leading role in helping that coalition to hold together, and in getting NATO to do more to co-ordinate action and ensure that we get support behind Ukraine, so that it prevails and Putin loses.
▸
Assessment & feedback
The answer discusses the commitment of allies but does not provide a direct assessment or specific actions taken by them.
Response accuracy