Five Staffordshire MPs including Moorlands MP Karen Bradley have signed a letter which calls on the the government to do more to assist Ukrainian refugees feeling their country.

The letter says: "We urge the UK government to provide as much support as possible to our European partners."

It also says: "We need sincere and immediate support for the Ukrainian people."

There has been almost a week of bloodshed in Ukraine, after Russian forces invaded the country on the orders of president Vladimir Putin.

Whilst the UK government has imposed sanctions on Russia as a result of the conflict, it has come under criticism for not being more generous in accepting Ukrainian refugees.

The MPs' letter reads: "We – on behalf of the One Nation Caucus – are extremely proud that our government is leading the way in deepening economic sanctions against President Putin, Russian state-owned organisations and those closest to him and their assets.

"Alongside our continued provision to Ukraine of defensive military equipment and supplies, including medical supplies, this should make clear that democracies stick together for freedom against invasion."

It continues: "Though it may be the case that the Ukrainian people hold back Russian forces from the heart of Ukraine for now, we cannot leave the Ukrainian people in any doubt that their allies stand behind them in every meaningful way.

"We recognise that those fleeing their country do so out of fear for their lives and escape from Russian forces' bombardments."

The One Nation Caucus, which the letter represents, is a socially liberal wing of the Conservative Party and is thought to include around 100 MPs in total.

The group says the UK's announcement on lifting some visa criteria was a first step, but adds that the government needs to act with other European countries and share responsibility with them.

It says: "We need to act now and we need to act decisively.

"We urge the UK government to provide as much support as possible to our European partners who are currently the first safe havens for Ukrainian refugees – namely, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.

"We also hope our ministers will seek a flexible and pragmatic approach to those Ukrainians wishing to seek temporary refuge in the UK until it is safe to return to their lives in their home country."

The letter concludes: "It is clear that this is not another migration crisis; this is a crisis of war.

"This should not be business as usual, we need sincere and immediate support for the Ukrainian people.

"The United Kingdom cannot flag or fail, our message must be clear: Ukrainian victims of war seeking refuge are welcome."

It was signed by 44 MPs, including five from Staffordshire: Aaron Bell (Newcastle-Under-Lyme), Karen Bradley (Staffordshire Moorlands), Michael Fabricant (Lichfield), Jo Gideon (Stoke Central) and Kate Griffiths (Burton and Uttoxeter).

Meanwhile, local Lib Dems have said the government must not repeat the mistakes it made with the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).

Spokesperson Alec Sandiford said: "One of the crucial flaws of the ACRS was the government's failure to involve local authorities in the design and development of the scheme, and to give them the funding they need.

"Local councils are critical to the success of refugee resettlement, and they are already under enormous financial pressure, so the government must not repeat that failure when it comes to resettling Ukrainian refugees now.

"The government should therefore work closely with local authorities to develop a resettlement scheme for Ukrainian refugees, including a full five-year funding package for each and every person a council resettles.

"Local communities are eager to live up to the UK's tradition of welcoming refugees with compassion; the government must give them the funding they need to deliver on that ambition."

He added: ""As well as the strongest possible sanctions on Putin and his cronies, this crisis demands a coordinated humanitarian response.

"Anything less would play right into Putin's hands by destabilising our continent even further.

"The UK has a proud history of providing sanctuary to those forced to flee war and persecution. We must not turn our backs on the people of Ukraine in their hour of need."