Three candidates seeking re-election as MPs have become the first to pledge continued support for Ukraine in response to an appeal from the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign Scotland.

Campaigners have welcomed support from the SNP’s Edinburgh East candidate Tommy Sheppard, Edinburgh North and Leith candidate Deirdre Brock and Glasgow North candidate Alison Thewliss — and are challenging candidates from all other political parties to follow suit.

Candidates are being asked to pledge that, if elected as MPs, they will support:

1. Weapons to win: A major increase in military aid including tanks, aircraft, artillery, air-defence and mine breaching equipment must be provided to enable Ukraine to win the war and end the occupation.
   
2. Stop selling off military hardware: The Ministry of Defence should end its policy of selling and auctioning military vehicles and aircraft that could instead be donated to Ukraine.
   
3. Justice for war crimes: An international war crimes tribunal should be convened to hold Russian political and military leaders to account for waging a war of aggression against a sovereign nation under threat of genocide.
   
4. Cancel debt and seize Russian assets: Ukraine’s mounting debts should be cancelled and the demand for repayments waived, and frozen Russian assets held in the UK should be confiscated and redistributed to Ukraine.
   
5. Socially progressive reconstruction: The UK should help to restore and expand universal healthcare, education, affordable housing and public infrastructure, and ensure decent jobs and working conditions — not attack trade union and labour rights.

Peter Cooper, USCS secretary, said: “Ukrainians deserve full support in their existential struggle against the brutal Russian invasion and occupation. The UK government is simply not doing enough to enable Ukraine to win this war and end the occupation of Ukrainian territory. The prospect of a Trump victory in November’s US elections will only make matters worse.

“We urge all election candidates to endorse our five pledges to demonstrate their continued support for Ukraine over the next parliamentary term, which will be crucial.

“Tens of thousands of people across Scotland have already played an admirable role in opening their homes to Ukrainian refugees, welcoming them into their communities and organising huge amounts of humanitarian and military aid from Scotland to Ukraine.

“However, we desperately need stronger political action, including the provision of modern air-defence systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from Russian attacks. Only Kyiv currently has these protections, while cities like Kharkiv are coming under renewed assaults.

“And it is only right that the nearly £50 billion in frozen Russian assets held in the UK — owned by Russian oligarchs and banks — is used to pay for this aid and Ukraine’s reconstruction.”