A former defence chief has warned that Russia's invasion of Ukraine could embolden other "despotic" nations to be more aggressive on the world stage.

Sir Gerald Howarth, former Minister for International Security Strategy and chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on Ukraine, said he believes the west should have acted faster to protect Ukraine from Putin.

And, he says, failing to do so may make China more likely to seize Taiwan – a territory that China has long claimed as its own.

Sir Gerald, who served as a defence minister between 2010-12 and now lives in Chelsworth, said it was too late for British troops on the ground in Ukraine to be helpful.

Speaking on Thursday he said: "The first thing I think we should do is send a naval task force to Odesa – it's in the Black Sea, west of the Crimea, not part of the Donbas region.

"Yes, Putin would call it provocative. But Ukraine produces 10% of the world's wheat output. It's important that we secure that. We do not want to let it be under the control of this despot."

Sir Gerald said the current response of sanctioning Russia made western countries look weak.

"It sends a message to the rest of the world that the west is seriously weak and completely lacking in resolve," he said.

"This will embolden other despots around the world.

"[President Xi Jinping] the leader of the Chinese Communist Party has made no bones about it. He intends to recover Taiwan as an integral part of the People's Republic of China – a despotic country involved in genocide.

"What message is this going to send to President Xi?

"He is likely to be emboldened. That will destabilise the Far East."

He drew a comparison with the war in the Falklands but said the invasion of Ukraine was far more serious for world politics.

"Forty years ago, Argentina, through aggression, attacks and took possession of territory owned by the United Kingdom," he said.

"Margaret Thatcher asked the armed forces 'can you retake these islands?'

"As one of the admirals at the time said to me, 'we foolishly said yes.

"And she said, then go to it.

"We recovered the Falkland Islands. Suddenly Britain was a force to be reckoned with in the world. And secondly, it made the world a safer place."