Paul Murphy Questions NATO Tank Transfers to Ukraine
Paul Murphy questioned recent NATO heavy weapons transfers to Ukraine and warned they risk further escalation, including the potential for a nuclear confrontation. He criticised the arms industry profits from the conflict while saying weapons are being supplied to help Ukraine defend itself and called for Russia to withdraw.
Concerns over NATO tank transfers
He raised specific alarm about the largest weapons transfer in history by NATO forces into Ukraine, citing recent decisions to send M1 Abrams tanks from the US and Leopard 2 tanks from Germany and other European countries. He argued the logic of sending heavy tanks is escalatory, noting demands that effective tank use now requires F-16 fighters in the air and that prior Western limits on widening the conflict appear to be discarded.
Risk of escalation and nuclear danger
He warned this trajectory could lead to further escalation by Putin and potentially into a nuclear conflict, a prospect he said should alarm all of humanity. He stressed that escalation is not seen as a solution, but argued Russia would escalate the war regardless if Ukraine were left without means to resist.
Arms industry profits
He accused "dealers of death and destruction" of profiting from militarisation, citing company results discussed in debate - General Dynamics reporting a 15.5% increase in profits in the final quarter of last year, Raytheon Technologies doubling its profits in the last quarter of 2022, and Lockheed Martin also significantly increasing profits. He said ordinary people, not arms manufacturers, should benefit from resources.
Support for Ukraine and conditions for peace
He said President Zelenskyy made him aware of a 10-point peace plan, which he described as very good but unlikely to be accepted by Russia. He argued Ukraine will need to regain more territory before a ceasefire or peace is realistic, and that the way to peace is for Russia to withdraw from occupied territories. He emphasised that providing weapons to Ukraine is intended to hold back Russian advances that would otherwise result in further civilian killings and atrocities.
Diplomatic steps and embassy in Kyiv
He expressed support for reopening the embassy in Kyiv, putting an ambassador there and getting it functioning again, while acknowledging security issues are being worked on. He reiterated calls for de-escalation, a ceasefire, an end to missile and air strikes on civilian targets, and for Russia to pull back from occupied areas.
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I also want to ask, have you got any concerns about the largest weapons transfer in history by NATO forces into Ukraine, which has escalated in the last week in the decision to send heavy tanks in the form of M1 Abrams from the US and Leopard 2 tanks from Germany and other European countries? And precisely as Deputy Boy Barrett has indicated, the logic of it is further and further escalation, because now the demand is, well, the only way to use these tanks very effectively is we need to have F-16 fighters in the air. And so the things that were previously said by Western leaders about containing this conflict within certain realms, not going for an air conflict with Russia, for example, over the ground of Ukraine, are now being discarded. Are you not at all concerned that this leads in an extremely dangerous direction, which can end up in a further escalation by Putin, who is responsible in terms of the invasion of Ukraine, which is a brutal, bloody imperialist invasion, but it can end up in the escalation of this into nuclear conflict. And that is something that all of humanity has to be extremely concerned about, and that the winners here are not ordinary people in Ukraine or anywhere around the world, but it is the armaments manufacturers. You look at the profits going up, general dynamics, an increase in profits, they are the ones who make Abrams tanks and striker vehicles, increase in profits in the final quarter of last year of 15.5%. Raytheon Technologies, maker of the Stinger and Javelin missiles, doubling its profits in the last quarter of 2022, Lockheed Martin also significantly increasing their profits. They are the big winners out of this. Are you not concerned that these dealers of death and destruction are profiting from this massive drive to militarisation, massive expansion of military budgets and not ordinary people? Thank you. Thank you. President Zelenskyy did make me aware of his 10-point peace plan, which I have had a look at since we spoke. I do think it is very good, but realistically, I do not think that is something that Russia would ever, ever agree to. And I think that Ukraine will need to regain more of its territory, if not all of its territory, before the prospect of a ceasefire or peace arises. The way we can achieve peace is for Russia to withdraw from the territories that it is occupied. I do not think it is something that should be blasé about, Deputy. Calling on somebody to withdraw from occupied territories is something that they should do. In relation to the embassy in Kiev, we do want to get that up and running, have the ambassador there, have it functioning again. I know there are some issues around security. I do not know the details of all that, but the thought I know is working on it. I have to say I absolutely agree that escalation is not a solution. But what is the alternative to allow Russia freehand to massacre the Ukrainian people, to occupy their capital, to take away their freedoms, their democracy? I know you are not saying that, but it is not that anyone thinks that escalation is a solution. The reason why weapons are being provided to Ukraine is because if weapons are not provided to Ukraine, it will escalate anyway. Russia will do in those big cities, in Kharkiv, in Kyiv, in Japorizhia and in Odessa exactly what it has done in the cities that it has occupied. It is not a choice of simply saying escalation or de-escalation. Russia will escalate this war anyway. They will kill more civilians. They will commit the most heinous atrocities. And the reason why weapons are being provided to Ukraine is to hold them back. And that is the impossible choice that countries bigger than ours are now making at the moment. But I want to be very clear that we do call for de-escalation. We want Russia to cease fire. We want it to stop its advance. We want it to stop the missile attacks and the air strikes on civilian targets. And we want it to pull back from the territories that it has occupied. And I think that will put us in a different place. And I do not think that Western governments would have to provide additional armaments to Ukraine if that were to happen. And I do think it is important that we never allow anyone to doubt that all of us in this house believe that Russia is the aggressor. And I do know that the deputies opposite are not supporters of Vladimir Putin or the Russian regime. But I do think it is important in your comments that you do not in any way create the impression that this is somehow a war between equals. This is a big country against a small country. This is an aggressor against a country that has been attacked. And there is a big difference in providing weapons to a country that is defending itself than providing support for a country that is on the attack. And just like you, I do not like to see, in fact, I am appalled to see the arms industry making money and increasing its profits as a result of what is happening in Ukraine. I would much rather see that money being spent on reconstruction. And you add that money being done within utilities to summarize... You radiant your government in Russia. Even inside, this lives are到了 by an invisible��� divular石. So it is impossible for Mona Fl So we should see that money is aust sytuability. Back to the computer that doesn't necessarily matter to anyone. And that's the opportunity to nieve.
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