The war in Ukraine marks a paradigm shift on the scale of 9/11, according to Liz Truss | Liz Truss

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is causing a 9/11-scale paradigm shift in how democracy will deal with future threats, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will predict in Washington on Thursday.

She will call on the West to oppose authoritarian regimes, saying the West must stand up at this time and commit to never allow such aggression to grow unchecked as it has over the past decade.

In previous remarks, she qualified her attacks on authoritarian regimes by saying that some regimes that have no intention of undermining the West may be treated differently. No. 10, pressed on Wednesday to find out whether he considered Saudi Arabia to be an authoritarian regime, hesitated.

In his address to the Atlantic Council, Truss said: “Putin launched a frontal attack not only against the people of Ukraine, but also against the very foundation of our societies and the rules by which we coexist – sovereignty, democracy, the UN Charter.

“He broke the global security architecture. The invasion of Ukraine is a paradigm shift on the scale of 9/11. How we respond today will set the pattern for this new era.

“Leaving Putin’s expansionism unchallenged would send a dangerous message to potential aggressors and authoritarians around the world. We cannot allow this to happen.

“We have to start from the principle that the only thing the aggressors understand is force…and we have to start by working together to stop Putin’s offensive in Ukraine.”

She will insist: “It means acting now. It means being tough – because we know the costs will only increase if we don’t. The public understands the gravity of this moment. They see the terrible suffering caused by this pre-planned, barbaric and illegal invasion against a European democracy and they recognize that the world has changed.

She will again call for an end to strategic reliance on hostile and authoritarian states, citing the threat posed by Russian energy.

In remarks largely directed at countries most dependent on Russian energy, such as Italy and Germany, she will say: “We need to go deeper into sanctions to keep tightening the noose – including a full ban on Swift, freezing all Russian banking assets.” , and encourage more countries to join the effort.

Germany has pushed for Russian energy-related banks to be kept in the Swift banking system.

Truss will say, “We want a situation where they can’t access their funds, they can’t settle their payments, their commerce can’t flow, their ships can’t dock and their planes can’t land. We must work together to ensure that justice is served at the International Criminal Court and that Putin is held accountable for his actions.

“And we must do more to provide defensive weapons and respond to the growing humanitarian emergency. We will do all of this. And we will shape this new era for global security.

Truss is also expected to deliver a message to the US Congress that the UK is taking action against the Russian oligarchs following growing criticism among US politicians and media that the UK has laid the welcome mat for the oligarchs and has now find it difficult, mainly for legal reasons, to take the strong measures that the EU and the United States have shown.

The UK is in the process of passing legislation that will allow it to sanction anyone under UK jurisdiction as long as they have been sanctioned by the US, Canada or the EU, a decision that is quite a long way off from Brexiters’ initial assertion that a separate UK sanctions regime would make the UK regime more nimble.

Rather, it appears the Foreign Office is concerned that UK law, due to amendments passed by Parliament, may provide too many avenues through which Russian oligarchs can appeal sanctions designations in court.