U.S. Vice President JD Vance has denied insulting Britain and France after comments he made about a proposed peacekeeping force in Ukraine sparked outrage.
According to Reuters, Vance described the plan as sending “20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years,” which led many to believe he was dismissing the role of British and French soldiers.
Reuters reports that politicians and veterans from the UK and France criticized Vance, saying his remarks disrespected the sacrifices of troops who fought and died alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.
James Cartlidge, a defense spokesperson for the British Conservative Party, called the remarks “deeply disrespectful,” while former British minister Johnny Mercer even called Vance a “clown.” In France, Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu told parliament that the country would not allow its veterans to be disrespected, and President Emmanuel Macron’s party said fallen soldiers deserve better than being treated with “disdain” by the American vice president.
However, Reuters notes that Vance strongly rejected these accusations, calling them “absurdly dishonest.” He clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that he never specifically mentioned Britain or France in his Fox News interview and acknowledged that both nations had bravely fought alongside the U.S. for decades. He explained that his comment was directed at other possible contributors to the peacekeeping force, not the UK or France.
Reuters highlights that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently referred to a “coalition of the willing” that could send troops to Ukraine, but only Britain and France have publicly committed to the idea. This means Vance’s comments may have been misunderstood, as he was likely referring to other countries rather than dismissing British and French efforts.
Vance also made another controversial statement during his Fox News interview, saying that the best way to secure Ukraine’s future was to give U.S. companies access to the country’s valuable minerals.
Reuters reports that he argued economic benefits for America would be a stronger guarantee of Ukraine’s security than sending 20,000 foreign troops.
This situation highlights ongoing tensions between the U.S. and its European allies over how to handle the war in Ukraine.
As Reuters explains, while some European countries want to increase their military presence, Vance and other U.S. officials believe economic strategies may be more effective in keeping Russia from attacking Ukraine again.
Credit: Reuters