MP Jonathan Djanogly reports on his visit to Kyiv, Ukraine

Together with fellow Conservative Bob Seeley, three Labour colleagues, one Liberal Democrat and one Scottish Nationalist, we embarked on the arduous trip: flying to Warsaw and then taking a bus and overnight train to the Kyiv border.

Despite sporadic air raid alarms, I felt safe in Kyiv. The centre is open and free for movement. Cafes and shops were buzzing, relatively few uniforms were on show, and the brave, hardy Ukrainian people were getting on with their lives as best as they can.

Despite overall city resident numbers still reduced, people are steadily returning to rebuild their lives and their country.

The determination to rebuild Ukraine as a proud free, independent, democratic and western-facing modern nation was universal and palpable with the people I met.

Several Ukrainian flags in the ground, paying respect to the many who have lost their lives (Image: Jonathan Djanogly)

Ukraine did not want this war, and its cost in terms of loss of life, devastated economy and smashed infrastructure is huge. But their determination to persevere and rebuild is absolute and only reinforced through the harsh conflict.

Ukrainians will not start to negotiate for peace until all of their land is free from Russia; and that includes Donbas and Crimea. This was the firm view of every politician, soldier and citizen we had the opportunity to meet.

Russian aggression has been used time and time again under Putin, right from the invasion of Georgia in 2008. There is nothing to show that Russia would, unless stopped, halt at Ukraine.

The parliamentary group had many meetings with politicians, economists, prosecutors, human rights activists, anti-corruption NGOs and the military. (Image: Jonathan Djanogly)

We had many meetings with politicians, economists, prosecutors, human rights activists, anti-corruption NGOs and, of course, the military.

How is UK taxpayers’ money (a lot of it) being spent? How will the human rights criminals be brought to book? How will reconstruction move forward both during and after the war? These were some of the questions we addressed as well as how the UK working alone and also with other countries could best play its part.

A visit to the presidential palace to meet President Zelenskyy was memorable. The president and his ministers, all dressed in khaki, were focused and determined to succeed in their historic struggle. The famed charisma and can-do attitude of the president was very much on show and impressive.

Militarily speaking, Russia still remains a powerful and vicious threat. Putin is an unpredictable enemy and, wounded and concerned to protect his Crimea legacy to Russia, may yet become even less principled over civilian rights, let alone the rules of war.

Retaking occupied territory is one thing, but holding it is another. Police, courts, schools and civil society all have to be re-established. War crimes and collaborators have to be prosecuted. Infrastructure has to be rebuilt. The cost and administrative challenges involved are enormous and urgent.

The military requirements are changing. In the early days of the war, basic equipment for soldiers and defensive weapons, such as anti-tank missiles, were a priority. Then longer-range artillery, to break down Russian defences, was and still is required to enable offensive operations. But then, following reoccupation, the priorities changed again, and the need for anti-missile defence systems came to the fore.

If Ukraine is going to encourage its more than10 million internally displaced citizens and millions of foreign-based refugees to return to their homes in Ukraine, then security from air attacks becomes key to restoring confidence. Electricity and water infrastructure has already been bombed, and winter is coming.

So the challenges are immense, but one thing is for sure and came across very strongly, namely, Ukrainian recognition of British support and the gratitude that was expressed by everyone we met. Ukrainians feel that the UK is in this battle with them for the long term and that we were the first to speak up for them in the international community.

I was left with the strong impression that out of this war, out of this horror and barbarity will develop an immensely strong and lasting relationship between our two countries.

In the meantime, we must redouble our efforts to ensure a speedy victory for Ukraine as soon as possible and enable its restoration towards the modern democratic country that I know it has the potential to be.