US Vice President JD Vance has sparked intense criticism in Britain after comparing an American economic deal in Ukraine to sending 20,000 troops from a relatively unknown country that hasn’t seen war in decades. This remark was made during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night. Vance later clarified that his comments didn’t specifically target the UK or France, but few Britons believe him.
The UK and France have pledged troops to support peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine, alongside the US. However, Britain has also fought in Iraq and Afghanistan alongside the US and French troops fought in Afghanistan. No other countries have publicly committed to sending troops to Ukraine. The leader of Reform U.K., Nigel Farage, said Vance’s comments were “wrong” and that Britain had stood by America during those conflicts.
Shadow defense secretary James Cartlidge pointed out that NATO’s Article 5, which declares an attack on one member state as an attack on all, has only been invoked once – after the 9/11 attacks. He said Vance was erasing the sacrifices of British troops who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.
France’s defense minister Sébastien Lecornu praised Vance for correcting his statement but emphasized that France’s 600+ military fatalities over the past 60 years “deserve our respect.” The leader of Britain’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, remains skeptical about Vance’s claim.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/us/politics/jd-vance-uk-random-country.html