Shortly after her first Tory leadership hustings, last night Liz Truss made her way over to the Carlton Club for the Conservative Friends of Ukraine’s inaugural drinks reception, launched by Robert Jenrick. Stood just metres away from the room in which Chris Pincher’s wandering hands ensured the collapse of the government, the crowd dined on canapés as Ukrainian ambassador Vadym Prystaiko took to the lectern and thanked the UK for its continuing support, adding he was certain that would continue regardless of who wins the leadership race. Jenrick, supporting Rishi, nodded along while Truss smiled politely…

Liz herself then wooed the room with the usual notes on the UK’s world-leading response to the war, and insisted sanctions would not be lifted “until the Russian army has left Ukraine”. The crowd murmured warmly in agreement, although a few eyebrows were raised when she accidentally claimed the government had imposed the fiercest sanctions possible on… Ukrainians [sic]. Thankfully the ambassador seemed not to notice. Nonetheless, she then insisted the government’s support was ironclad, and the UK would always be by Ukraine’s side. Diplomatic incident avoided…