Lord Cameron has dismissed the possibility of Western troops being deployed to Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Speaking on the BBC's Ukrainecast podcast, the foreign secretary emphasized the importance of allies stepping up their support to prevent the war from being lost. However, when questioned about the deployment of Western troops, Lord Cameron firmly responded with a "no."
He also highlighted his efforts to refine policies ahead of November's US elections, aiming to shape them into their best possible form.
Lord Cameron made these remarks during a two-day North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) summit in Brussels, where NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg proposed a 100 billion euro military aid package to Ukraine over five years. This move seeks to address concerns surrounding the outcome of the US election, particularly amid suggestions from candidate Donald Trump about reducing US support for NATO.
Lord Cameron emphasized the importance of securing financial support from the US Congress during his upcoming visit to the United States. He believes this could alter the dynamics in Ukraine and demonstrate to Putin that Ukraine is determined to defend itself.
Regarding NATO's role, Lord Cameron stressed the need to strengthen the alliance and ensure its readiness by November. He highlighted the significance of NATO members meeting defense spending targets and expressed optimism about the alliance's prospects.
While Lord Cameron assured intervention under NATO's Article 5 in the event of the conflict spilling over into neighboring countries, he ruled out the deployment of troops to Ukraine itself, citing concerns about providing Putin with a clear target.
Instead, Lord Cameron emphasized using NATO's framework to support Ukraine, distinguishing between a mission "for Ukraine" and one "in Ukraine." He urged other countries to bolster their support for Ukraine, suggesting donations of weapons to enhance Ukraine's capabilities.
Under Lord Cameron's leadership, the UK has provided significant financial aid and military training to Ukraine. He stressed the importance of maximizing resources to assist Ukraine in defending itself effectively. Photo by Valsts kanceleja/ State Chancellery from Rīga, Latvija, Wikimedia commons.