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UK Foreign Secretary: “Giving Ukraine weapons will help bring peace, not escalate war”

David Cameron, UK Foreign Secretary, visited Berlin, affirming that arming Ukraine would not escalate the war but aid in peace efforts, amid international pressure on Germany to supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

byYuri Zoria

08/03/2024

2 minute read

David Cameron at a briefing in the US on 7 December 2023. Screenshot: Youtube video

UK Foreign Secretary: “Giving Ukraine weapons will help bring peace, not escalate war”

UK foreign secretary David Cameron said giving Ukraine the weapons it needs to defend itself against Russia would not escalate the war, but help to forge peace, according to The Guardian.

The UK foreign secretary’s remarks came during a Berlin visit on 7 March, following a leaked military call, as Germany faces international pressure to supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine despite hesitance from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government.

Intercept of German generals planning Taurus strike on Crimean bridge: full translation

“Of course there’s the question what we can do in terms of medium- and long-range missiles, and I just make this point that it’s a sovereign decision for every country. But in terms of what Britain has done, I know that what we have given to the Ukrainians has helped them to resist this appalling invasion and to fight back against Russian aggression,” Cameron said, according to The Guardian.

The meeting took place after Kremlin-controlled media in Russia published an intercepted call between senior German military officials mentioning Britain’s involvement in Ukraine and discussing the logistics of the possible deployment of German-manufactured Taurus cruise missiles, presenting a delicate situation for Berlin. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly refused to allow the use of the missiles in Ukraine, citing concerns about putting German troops on Ukrainian soil and the potential for escalation by targeting Russia’s territory.

Cameron and Germany’s foreign affairs minister, Annalena Baerbock, avoided direct mention of the intercepted call. Cameron emphasized NATO unity, dismissing Russian attempts to portray divisions among allies.

Cameron’s reluctance to directly address the leak contrasted with former defense secretary Ben Wallace, who stated that the leak proved Germany was “neither secure nor reliable,” as reported by The Times.

UK MP: Germany leak of UK military tactics in Ukraine security breach worrying on many levels

Acknowledging Germany’s significant contribution as Ukraine’s second-largest arms supplier after the US, Cameron emphasized the need for additional support, including ammunition, production, and weapons, to aid Ukraine in its defense. Baerbock, supporting sending weapons to Ukraine, said she privately discussed the leaked call with Cameron.

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