‘Whatever it takes?’ The policy implications of supporting Ukraine
When: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 12:00 PM - 1:15 PM
Where: Zoom
Join the Mile End Institute to discuss what Britain's role in the war in Ukraine means for its strategic posture, relations with allies, domestic politics and military technology.
Nearly three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, British and European leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to support the defence of Ukraine.
In this live seminar, we ask what this commitment requires and what it might mean for Britain’s foreign and domestic policy. We explore the implications of the war for British defence spending, tax policy and energy security; the questions it raises for British political parties; and how the war might change the UK’s relations with the EU, the United States and the NATO alliance.
This webinar builds on the 2025 Hennessy Lecture delivered by Sir Lawrence Freedman, ‘‘As Long as it Takes': What does it mean to commit to Ukraine’s security?’. It can be read on "Comment is Freed" and watched on our YouTube channel.
Speakers:
Evie Aspinall is Director of the British Foreign Policy Group, an independent, non-partisan think tank focusing on the intersection between domestic and foreign policy. Her primary research interests are domestic consent for foreign policy, the UK’s role in the world and challenges posed by the UK’s strategic rivals.
Patrick Porter is Professor of International Security and Strategy at the University of Birmingham, and a Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute. He is the author of five books on war, strategy and international relations, including Blunder: Britain’s War in Iraq (2018); The False Promise of Liberal Order (2020); and How to Survive a Hostile World: Power, Politics and the Case for Realism (2025).
Elke Schwarz is Professor of Political Theory at Queen Mary University of London. She is Vice-Chair for the International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC) and an Associate of the Imperial War Museum. She is the author of Death Machines: The Ethics of Violent Technologies (2018).
Chair: James Strong is Reader in British Politics and Foreign Policy at Queen Mary University of London. He specialises in the domestic politics of British foreign policy, and is currently writing a history of parliamentary war powers in the UK. He is the author of Public Opinion, Legitimacy and Tony Blair’s War in Iraq (2017).