'I am proud to serve our nation' - Shropshire MP appointed as UK representative on Ukraine-NATO Council
A Shropshire MP says he is "honoured" to have been appointed as the UK’s representative on the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council.
South Shropshire MP Stuart Anderson was appointed to the role during the 71st Annual Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where 245 lawmakers gathered from both NATO member and partner countries.
A former soldier himself, Mr Anderson will work with NATO member states and Ukraine to promote dialogue, cooperation, and stability across the region. His new role will also see him attend meetings in both Brussels and Ukraine.
The Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council was established in 1998 as a platform to strengthen collaboration between legislators from Ukraine and NATO countries, including the UK.
His appointment comes, he said, at a "critical time" for both NATO and Ukraine, which has been "battling a flagrant breach of territorial integrity and sovereignty over the last three years".
The South Shropshire MP said: "I am proud to serve our nation, both during my time in the armed forces and now as the Member of Parliament for South Shropshire.
"NATO is the cornerstone of international security. Its vital role has been brought into sharp focus by Putin’s unjust war in Ukraine. I have been pushing the UK Government to increase defence spending in line with NATO targets.
"I am honoured to have been appointed as the UK's representative on the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council at the 71st Annual Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Slovenia. I will use this prestigious role to promote dialogue between Ukraine and NATO Member States, foster better cooperation, and help to return stability to the region."
Mr Anderson has urged the Government to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. He claims that the Government's current plan to raise defence spending to three per cent of GDP before the middle of the 2030s is too slow.
