US Vice-President JD Vance has sparked controversy with remarks made during a Fox News interview, describing a proposed Anglo-French peace deployment to Ukraine as "20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years." His comments have been met with widespread disapproval from UK politicians, who emphasize Britain's military engagements alongside American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The remarks come amid ongoing discussions about a proposed minerals agreement that could deepen US economic interests in Ukraine and potentially justify a US military presence in the region.
UK politicians, including those with military service backgrounds, have expressed their dismay at Vance's dismissal of the UK's significant contributions to past conflicts. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, criticized Vance for undervaluing the sacrifices made by British forces. Obese-Jecty highlighted the ultimate sacrifices made by six members of his regiment, the Royal Military Police, who did not return from Iraq.
“I was part of British forces fighting in highly kinetic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the latter in response to article 5 following 9/11. The disrespect shown by the new US vice-president to the sacrifices of our service personnel is unacceptable.” – Ben Obese-Jecty
Former armed forces minister Johnny Mercer also joined the chorus of criticism, labeling Vance a "clown" and questioning his understanding of military service. Mercer, who served as an army officer in Afghanistan, noted that Vance's memoir admitted he was "lucky to escape any real fighting" during his time in the Marines.
“I read JD Vance’s book, making the mistake of finding him quite interesting. By his own admission he spent his time in the Marines ‘writing articles and taking pictures’. Perhaps if he had got his hands dirty serving his country like so many of his fellow American and British veterans, chasing his own country’s crazy foreign policy ideas, he might not be so quick to dismiss their sacrifice.” – Johnny Mercer
Helen Maguire, the defence spokesperson for the Conservative party and a former Royal Military Police officer, recounted her experiences serving in Iraq alongside American troops. She emphasized the strong bond between American and British soldiers on the battlefield, recalling the loss of six members of her regiment.
“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.” – Helen Maguire
James Cartlidge, the Conservative shadow defence secretary, defended the UK's historical support for the US, particularly in Afghanistan. He pointed out that Britain and France had deployed thousands of personnel to aid American efforts.
“Britain and France came to their [the US’s] aid, deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including my own brother and numerous parliamentary colleagues, past and present. It’s deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice.” – James Cartlidge
Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, has been actively involved in diplomatic efforts to reinforce a peace plan for Ukraine. His spokesperson reiterated the UK's admiration for its troops' bravery and their role in global security.
“The prime minister, and I think this whole country, is full of admiration for all British troops who have served, for instance, in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom have lost their lives in the process, and have fought alongside allies, including the United States.” – Keir Starmer's spokesperson
“And it’s very clear that their courage and bravery has helped to ensure global security, defend our values, defend our national interests. Our focus, once again, is on how we protect our national interests and global security by progressing the discussions to secure a lasting peace for Ukraine.” – Keir Starmer's spokesperson
In response to the backlash, JD Vance clarified that he did not specifically mention the UK or France in his comments but stressed concerns about countries lacking battlefield experience volunteering for peace deployments.
“I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond.” – JD Vance
“But let’s be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful.” – JD Vance