The Frome MP David Warburton writes:

Many of you have written to me expressing your deep concerns over the horrors unfolding in Ukraine due to Russia's invasion, so I wanted to update you on what has been happening this week in response.

Earlier this week, the House was privileged to receive an unprecedented address from Ukrainian President Zelensky. It was clear that his resolve will not waver in the face of Putin's attacks. I found his statement deeply moving, and it brought to mind the words of Abraham Lincoln in his famous Gettysburg Address: "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."

Despite the enormity of the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Ukraine, it's been heartening to see the public's response. More than £100m has now been donated through the Disasters Emergency Committee's Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal – the equivalent of more than £1m per hour since it launched. Donations can be made at www.dec.org.uk. We can all be proud of the way our citizens have opened their hearts and have generously supported the Ukrainian people in their time of need.

The government has also stepped up its support by pledging an additional £100m, making the UK the largest bilateral donor of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Indeed, I'm pleased to see that we are now relaxing any customs requirements to help further aid to reach Ukraine.

While we are providing extraordinary humanitarian support for the Ukrainian people, the UK has also been at the forefront of diplomatic, economic, and military efforts to stop Putin in his tracks.

I was pleased to see the Prime Minister demonstrate the UK's clear leadership on this when he set out a six-point plan for the global response to Russia's aggression. These are:

Mobilising an international humanitarian coalition for Ukraine.

Helping Ukraine to defend itself.

Maximising the economic pressure on Putin's regime.

Preventing any creeping normalisation of what Russia is doing in Ukraine.

Pursuing diplomatic paths to de-escalation.

Strengthening Euro-Atlantic security.

How the Russian President is mistaken

Vladimir Putin has, I believe, miscalculated in several ways. Rather than dividing the world, he has strengthened and united NATO and the almost universal coalition of international partners. Rather than Ukraine quickly acquiescing to Russian might, he has revealed Volodimir Zelensky to be an inspiring leader with a country determined to resist occupation. Rather than manifesting the fictional threat of Ukraine towards Russia, he has left little doubt in the minds of people across the world that this is not Russia's war, it is Putin's war. The unprecedented international sanctions against Russia will not stop him. They will take some time to cut deeply. And, currently, they – and their effects - are met with mystification by Russian people unable to access information beyond that which Putin wishes them to perceive. But the Russian people will reflect, and Putin's Russia will soon begin to suffer both economically and socially. And its influence on the world's stage has been terminally eroded. I'm pleased to see us in the UK pursuing Russia's political elite and cracking down on dirty money. The Government will continue to target members of the Russian Duma and Federal Council who voted to recognise Ukraine's separatist regions. The UK continues to lead by example by banning Russian aircraft and vessels from air and sea space. The EU has followed our lead in expanding the scope of the sanctions regime to further Russian oligarchs and businesses. The Government excluded Russian occupied territory from our trade deal with Ukraine and was the first to act against Belarus, which continues to aid Russia in its militant intent.

The humanitarian response

Without going into too much detail, we are also working hard to support the humanitarian response. Two routes now have been set up: the expanded family route, and the humanitarian sponsorship scheme. And now we are opening a new Visa processing centre in Lille to help process as many applications as possible while completing the security checks necessary. The UK has deployed extra Home Office staff to Poland, Hungary and Moldova, allowing us to rapidly process visas for Ukrainians fleeing the conflict. Expert Home Office staff have travelled to Poland to ensure rapid visa service, building on previous increases incapacity in Poland, Hungary, and Moldova. A new pop-up Visa Application Centre in Rzeszow, Poland, has been opened, while the combined total number of appointments in the region will increase to 6,000 from next week. A new Refugees Minister, Richard Harrington, has been appointed to coordinate and accelerate support for those fleeing the conflict. And we are the largest bilateral humanitarian donor to Ukraine, with almost £400 million in aid pledged to help the Ukrainian people. The UK is providing £220million in aid for basic necessities like medical supplies to support their response, as well as a £74 million through the World Bank to support the Ukrainian government directly plus that £100 million economic package to support Ukraine financially, including helping them to reduce their reliance on Russian energy supplies. In addition, the UK is guaranteeing up to $500 million of Ukrainian Development Bank financing, injecting vital capital into Ukraine and helping its economy weather the storm of Russian aggression. I understand that we intend to also stand ready to offer guarantees of Multilateral Development Bank lending for projects that will support economic stability and vital reforms such as tackling anti-corruption These are difficult and precarious times indeed. Events need to be carefully controlled, as conflicts can quickly spiral and escalate. But while Russia continues its flagrant defiance of the international community in pursuing its illegal war, I'm pleased to say that the UK will continue to do all it can to support Ukraine and its people.