JD Vance has doubled down on his “disrespectful” dismissal of “hysterical” Britain after making controversial comments about a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
It comes as the VP has been in hot water for saying a peacekeeping force in Ukraine would be "20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years".
Speaking on Fox News on Tuesday, Vance said: "The president knows that if you want real US security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine.
"That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years."
US Vice President JD Vance has doubled down on his “disrespectuful” dismissal of “hysterical” Britain
REUTERS
In a post on X, remarking on his viral statement, Vance denied the allegations that he was referring to the UK and France, although they are the only countries to have pledged troops.
He wrote: "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.
"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."
Now, the VP has issued a further statement clarifying his comments.
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In a statement, his press secretary Taylor Van Kirk said: "The Vice President served in Iraq himself, of course he honours the service of European troops in support of the United States."
She accused the media of misrepresenting Vance’s words, adding that the VP was referring to the “many European countries who have allowed their militaries to atrophy under a blanket of American security".
Kirk added that the media’s "hysterical reaction proves the vice president’s point".
"The reality is there’s not a single country in Europe that has the military resources to meaningfully deter Russia without American assistance," she said.
Sir Keir Starmer opened PMQ’s this afternoon by explicitly remembering British troops who were killed after 9/11
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"Many of these countries have served valiantly in support of American and Nato missions in the past, but it's dishonest to pretend those contributions amount to anything comparable to the mobilization that a hypothetical European army would need."
Several UK politicians have hit out at Vance’s remarks, with Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge accusing the American Vice President of "ignoring the service and sacrifice" of personnel from the two countries that fought in Afghanistan in the aftermath of 9/11.
Johnny Mercer, the former Conservative veterans minister called Vance a "clown" who "needs to check his privilege".
In a move that some have called “pointed”, Sir Keir Starmer opened PMQ’s this afternoon by explicitly remembering British troops who were killed after 9/11.
