Cameron faces down critics on Ukraine

There are few fiercer critics of the way the international community has reacted to the crisis in Crimea than Sir Malcolm Rifkind. Today when the Prime Minister gave his statement on the latest decisions made by world leaders to sanction Russia, Rifkind had another opportunity to scold the Prime Minister and his international colleagues. He did so in typically forceful language:

‘Does the Prime Minister agree that when the history of the Crimea crisis comes to be written, there will be found to be no winners. President Putin has of course control of Crimea but he has lost Ukraine and done much to unite the Ukrainian people. But will my right honourable friend also accept that the international community, the United States, and European countries, will not fare well in the judgement of history either. Because the response that we have made to the invasion of a European country by its neighbour and the annexation of its territory in contrast to all its international legal obligations, has resulted in a very timid and hesitant response, with no financial sanctions or sanctions that might influence future Russian behaviour.