London (Parliament Politic Magazine) – UK denies large troop deployment to Ukraine despite Macron’s call; offers training, and equipment support to Kyiv forces.
The UK has no plans for a large-scale deployment of troops to Ukraine, a spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated on Tuesday, in answer to French President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks about European nations sending troops to Ukraine.
“Beyond the small number of personnel we do have in the country supporting the armed forces of Ukraine, we haven’t got any plans for large-scale deployment,” the spokesman told reporters, adding that large numbers of Ukrainian troops were being trained in Britain and London was supporting Kyiv with equipment and supplies.
Moreover, Rishi Sunak has urged the United States to continue providing “bolder” military aid for Ukraine, following the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
Writing in The Sunday Times, the prime minister also expressed Ukraine’s allies should use money acquired through Russian sanctions and assets to fund Ukraine’s defense.
The UK has also committed to investing £ 245 million in delivering artillery shells for Ukraine and £ 8.5 million in humanitarian funding as the conflict enters its third year.
US President Joe Biden has labored to secure approval for further military aid, as Republicans in the US Congress have sought to thwart military aid to Ukraine as part of a partisan battle over immigration.
Last Saturday marked two years since the Kremlin launched its attack on Ukraine, beginning the biggest incursion in a European country since the Second World War.
Mr. Sunak stated: “We should never underestimate what America has done for Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security.
“I urge them to continue that support, and I am confident they will.”
He added: “We must be bolder with our military support — providing Ukraine with more long-range weapons, more drones and more munitions.
“We must be bolder in hitting the Russian war economy. Our collective sanctions have deprived Russia of 400 billion US dollars for their war effort — enough to finance the invasion for another four years.”
Mr. Sunak also urged Ukraine’s allies should look to directly redistribute any money taken from Russia or its citizens back to the war efforts.
He contended: “We must be bolder in seizing the hundreds of billions of frozen Russian assets.
“That starts with taking the billions in interest these assets are collecting and sending it to Ukraine.
“And then, with the G7, we must find lawful ways to seize the assets themselves and get those funds to Ukraine too.”
Mr. Sunak visited Kyiv last month and met with t Volodymyr Zelensky to sign a new security agreement and announce an increase in military funding for the country. Other partners from the EU and the G7 including Italian premier Giorgia Meloni and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen flew to Kyiv on Saturday to mark the anniversary of the war.
Questioned why the Prime Minister did not travel to Ukraine with other leaders, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden described Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips show: “You shouldn’t read from that any diminution whatsoever in United Kingdom support for Ukraine.
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“We are four square behind them as you saw with the presence of Rishi Sunak in Kyiv just a few weeks ago.”