> US vice-president JD Vance has provoked outrage in Britain after belittling a UK-France plan for European peacekeepers to guarantee peace in Ukraine, saying a deal was unlikely to be secured by “some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”. British military veterans who served alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan were dismayed by his comments, with some politicians at Westminster demanding an apology.
> JD Vance told Fox News on Monday: “The president knows that if you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years. The security guarantee and also the economic guarantee for Ukraine is to rebuild the country and ensure that America has a long term interest.”
> The vice-president did not specify which country he was referring to but made his comments after Fox News host Sean Hannity raised the proposed US-Ukraine minerals deal and “European peacekeepers”, a plan for troops on the ground spearheaded by the UK and France. More than 600 British service people died fighting alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan in the last 25 years. France suffered about 90 losses in Afghanistan and, with Britain, later joined a US-led coalition against Isis.
> Johnny Mercer, former UK Conservative armed forces minister who served in Afghanistan, said: “Vance needs to wind his neck in.” He added: “Show a bit of respect and stop making yourself look so unpleasant.” James Heappey, another former Conservative defence minister and army veteran, said: “Serving with the US and France were defining moments of my military career.” He added on X: “Sad to hear the relationship reduced to this.” Downing Street and the Elysée palace did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
> Vance’s assertion that a US mineral deal with Ukraine was “a way better security guarantee” than European forces on the ground has been called into question by Sir Keir Starmer, UK prime minister.
“The mineral deal is not enough on its own,” Starmer told MPs on Monday. The UK prime minister told MPs he did not expect the US to suspend aid to Ukraine, a policy announced by Donald Trump hours later.
Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have argued that a US military “backstop” for a European force in Ukraine, deployed to guarantee the peace, is essential to deter future Russian attacks on Ukraine. They have said that the US-Ukraine mineral deal, which they are urging Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sign, would be part of any security guarantee. Vance posted a clip of his comments on his account on X, saying: “Hope is not a strategy to bring peace to Ukraine. The only person in town who seems to have a strategy is President Donald J. Trump.”
> Helen Maguire, a spokesperson for the UK’s opposition Liberal Democrats and a former captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq, said the US vice-president should apologise for his comments.
“JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan,” she said. “I saw first-hand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didn’t return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality.” She called on Lord Peter Mandelson, Britain’s ambassador to Washington, to demand an apology from Vance.
bread_engine on
457 British personnel died in Afghanistan. 179 died in Iraq
mostanonymousnick on
Europe should act as if the US is out of NATO, regardless of whether that’s true or not, the odds are too high for us to gamble our sovereignty on it.
Seems stupid to say even for their standards – in the sense that this is something that I think (hope) even a few True Believers may see that this doesn’t make any sense.
Trumpers are all over Facebook screaming about how Europeans need to be the ones defending Ukraine and the US needs to get their investment out and be done. Especially after the Oval Office display which 100% of them are taking at face value as Zelenskyy disrespecting the US. That seemed to be the overwhelming narrative. Why say this about it? I’m curious what the play is here.
quickblur on
What the actual fuck is wrong with him? Literally scorning out closest allies and supposing our greatest enemy. I have no idea what is going on anymore.
rozokol on
always remember that a few months ago this guy said on live tv that he will lie for attention, dude is a complete slimeball
The_Keg on
Pieces of shit Trump supporters and supposedly peace loving neutrals (especially from certain countries in the “global south”) constantly mock Zelensky for not knowing how to play “politics” and yet let comments that will absolutely bury any diplomat like this slide.
Sad.
Bankrupt_Banana on
“Why don’t you guys want our help after we betrayed all of you?”
9 Comments
> US vice-president JD Vance has provoked outrage in Britain after belittling a UK-France plan for European peacekeepers to guarantee peace in Ukraine, saying a deal was unlikely to be secured by “some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”. British military veterans who served alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan were dismayed by his comments, with some politicians at Westminster demanding an apology.
> JD Vance told Fox News on Monday: “The president knows that if you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years. The security guarantee and also the economic guarantee for Ukraine is to rebuild the country and ensure that America has a long term interest.”
> The vice-president did not specify which country he was referring to but made his comments after Fox News host Sean Hannity raised the proposed US-Ukraine minerals deal and “European peacekeepers”, a plan for troops on the ground spearheaded by the UK and France. More than 600 British service people died fighting alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan in the last 25 years. France suffered about 90 losses in Afghanistan and, with Britain, later joined a US-led coalition against Isis.
> Johnny Mercer, former UK Conservative armed forces minister who served in Afghanistan, said: “Vance needs to wind his neck in.” He added: “Show a bit of respect and stop making yourself look so unpleasant.” James Heappey, another former Conservative defence minister and army veteran, said: “Serving with the US and France were defining moments of my military career.” He added on X: “Sad to hear the relationship reduced to this.” Downing Street and the Elysée palace did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
> Vance’s assertion that a US mineral deal with Ukraine was “a way better security guarantee” than European forces on the ground has been called into question by Sir Keir Starmer, UK prime minister.
“The mineral deal is not enough on its own,” Starmer told MPs on Monday. The UK prime minister told MPs he did not expect the US to suspend aid to Ukraine, a policy announced by Donald Trump hours later.
Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have argued that a US military “backstop” for a European force in Ukraine, deployed to guarantee the peace, is essential to deter future Russian attacks on Ukraine. They have said that the US-Ukraine mineral deal, which they are urging Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sign, would be part of any security guarantee. Vance posted a clip of his comments on his account on X, saying: “Hope is not a strategy to bring peace to Ukraine. The only person in town who seems to have a strategy is President Donald J. Trump.”
> Helen Maguire, a spokesperson for the UK’s opposition Liberal Democrats and a former captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq, said the US vice-president should apologise for his comments.
“JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan,” she said. “I saw first-hand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didn’t return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality.” She called on Lord Peter Mandelson, Britain’s ambassador to Washington, to demand an apology from Vance.
457 British personnel died in Afghanistan. 179 died in Iraq
Europe should act as if the US is out of NATO, regardless of whether that’s true or not, the odds are too high for us to gamble our sovereignty on it.
I want to [rule 5]
https://i.redd.it/ny1exfk8znme1.gif
Seems stupid to say even for their standards – in the sense that this is something that I think (hope) even a few True Believers may see that this doesn’t make any sense.
Trumpers are all over Facebook screaming about how Europeans need to be the ones defending Ukraine and the US needs to get their investment out and be done. Especially after the Oval Office display which 100% of them are taking at face value as Zelenskyy disrespecting the US. That seemed to be the overwhelming narrative. Why say this about it? I’m curious what the play is here.
What the actual fuck is wrong with him? Literally scorning out closest allies and supposing our greatest enemy. I have no idea what is going on anymore.
always remember that a few months ago this guy said on live tv that he will lie for attention, dude is a complete slimeball
Pieces of shit Trump supporters and supposedly peace loving neutrals (especially from certain countries in the “global south”) constantly mock Zelensky for not knowing how to play “politics” and yet let comments that will absolutely bury any diplomat like this slide.
Sad.
“Why don’t you guys want our help after we betrayed all of you?”