27 March 2023. By Nigel Biggar for The Times.

World leaders, even Putin, take the nuclear threat seriously. Why if Kyiv had kept its stockpile?

When Russian forces crossed the border and advanced on Kyiv just over a year ago, only two responses were possible: acquiesce or fight. The Ukrainians chose to fight and the UK chose to support them.

Marking the first anniversary of the invasion last month, Neil Gray, Scotland’s minister with special responsibility for refugees from Ukraine, said: “The Scottish government has repeatedly condemned Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine. We hope for a Ukrainian victory, which is the best outcome for Ukraine as well as for longer-term peace and stability in Europe.” Three days later a poll showed that 41 per cent of respondents supported Scotland’s “handling” of the Ukraine issue, with 14 per cent opposing it; 46 per cent neither agreed nor disagreed.

Clearly, then, the SNP government endorses Kyiv’s armed resistance and London’s military assistance. And clearly enough, a significant majority of Scots agrees, more or less strongly. Yet the costs of resistance in terms of human misery have been dreadful.

A separate Scottish military policy would destabilise UK deterrent

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