UK farming's problems paled into insignificance this week, as Russian tanks arrived in the fertile fields of Ukraine, and many of the country's agricultural workforce put down their tools and picked up their guns.

As The Scottish Farmer went to press, the leaders of the UK's four farming unions sent this message of solidarity to the Ukrainian National Agrarian Forum in the besieged city of Kyiv.

'To All Ukrainian Farmers

We write today on behalf of farmers across the United Kingdom. We are watching with shock and horror at the unfolding events in your nation. We are appalled at the dreadful situation that the people of Ukraine are facing following the Russian invasion.

We wish to express our support to everyone in Ukraine and all Ukrainian farming families caught up in these horrifying events and to offer any assistance that may be possible for us to give you.

We stand in solidarity with you at this horrifying moment in your history.

Spring for all farmers should be a time to celebrate new life in our livestock and new growth in our crops. The atrocious and unprecedented challenges you now face on your farms and with your families this spring are unimaginable.

Please be assured farmers in the United Kingdom hold you in our thoughts, we are watching and want to hear from you. If there is anything we can do to offer support, please contact us

Yours sincerely

NFU president Minette Batters; NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy; UFU president Victor Chestnutt; NFU Cymru president Aled Jones'

Read more: War in the breadbasket of Europe