Lord Cameron says Russia ‘outmatched’ by Ukraine’s allies who must ‘make difference count’

Lord Cameron says he wants Ukraine’s allies to “do more” to help defeat Russia and that together they “outmatch” President Vladimir Putin’s regime.

Speaking to Sky News at a security conference in Munich, the foreign secretary said Ukraine’s partners outmatched Russia “25 to one” and that they’ve “got to make that difference count”.

Lord Cameron said: “What I’m clear about is that Britain is absolutely in the lead of providing support [to Ukraine]. The first to provide so many different weapons systems and, of course, first to give the new security guarantees to Ukraine. Now others are following that.

“But most of all… look at what Ukraine’s allies have. If you add up our economies, we outmatch Russia 25 to one. We’ve got the ability to give that diplomatic, military, economic, moral support. We’ve just got to make that difference count.”

The former prime minister again urged the US to approve more aid funding for Ukraine, having already pushed for Congress to go ahead with a proposed $61bn (£49bn) funding package.

The funding package bill has passed through the Senate but faces a deeply uncertain future in the House of Representatives, where hardline Republicans oppose the legislation.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, criticised the bill for lacking conservative provisions to stem a record flow of migrants across the US-Mexico border.

Speaking about aid to Ukraine, Lord Cameron said. “Are we doing enough at the moment? No, I want us to do more.

“I know that Britain is doing what it can. The European Union has voted through its package to give massive support to Ukraine. We now need the US Congress to do the same.”

“If all those three things line up, I think that will make a real difference and demonstrate to Putin he can’t wait us out. He’s not going to win by testing our patience.”

The former prime minister’s comments come after Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s newly appointed commander-in-chief, said his forces were retreating from the frontline city of Avdiivka to “avoid encirclement” by Russian troops.

“Of course, things that happen in Ukraine, that’s for the Ukraine armed forces to decide,” Lord Cameron added.

“But I would point you towards the Black Sea, where yet again, another Russian ship has been sunk by incredibly brave Ukrainian action.

“And on the Black Sea, the Russian fleet has been pushed right back across the Black Sea. Ukraine is exporting again. Its economy is growing again. And that is incredibly important news.”

Navalny was ‘incredibly brave man’

Lord Cameron was also asked about Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a chief critic of President Putin who was confirmed dead by prison authorities in Russia on Friday.

He called Navalny an “incredibly brave man” and added: “His life revealed so much about the truth of Putin’s ghastly regime, and his death has revealed that all over again.

“There should be consequences when appalling human rights outrages like this take place. What we do is, we look at whether there are individual people that are responsible and whether there are individual measures and actions that we can take.

“We don’t announce them in advance, so I can’t say any more than that – but that’s what we’ll be looking at,” Lord Cameron added.

“Of course, we’ve already summoned the ambassador and we’ve made clear our views about this dreadful event and the way this person was treated.”

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He added he would be having further discussions with other foreign ministers about Navalny’s death during the security conference and added: “We’ll be taking action, and I’ll be urging others to do the same.”