Defy Donald Trump and back Ukraine, David Cameron urges Republicans

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron has warned US Republicans not to ‘show the weakness displayed against Hitler’ in the 1930s.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron: ‘I do not want us to show the weakness displayed against Hitler in the 1930s.’ Picture: AFP

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron has warned Republicans not to “show the weakness displayed against Hitler” in the 1930s as he called on the US congress to approve a critical funding package for Ukraine.

In a direct challenge to Donald Trump, the former prime minister urged Republicans to defy the party’s probable presidential nominee and back a $US95.3bn ($147bn) aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Mr Cameron admitted to “dropping all diplomatic niceties” but said that Britain and America’s “joint history shows the folly of giving in to tyrants in Europe who believe in redrawing boundaries by force”.

He wrote for The Hill, a news website: “I do not want us to show the weakness displayed against Hitler in the 1930s. He came back for more, costing us far more lives to stop his aggression.

“I do not want us to show the weakness displayed against Putin in 2008, when he invaded Georgia, or the uncertainty of the response in 2014, when he took Crimea and much of the Donbas – before coming back to cost us far more with his aggression in 2022.”

The Senate approved the aid package on Tuesday, sending the bill to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Mike Johnson, the House Speaker, is under pressure from Mr Trump to veto it amid a battle over migration on America’s border with Mexico.

In his article, Mr Cameron told congress it had a choice of standing up to Mr Putin or facing more significant consequences down the line.

He wrote: “On the one side is Putin, hoping to enlarge his empire simply by outlasting the West. He believes we are weak … On the other side are all of us. We have the resources, the economic might, the expertise. All we need to do is make our strength pay. The question is: Do we have the will?”

In a direct appeal to the American right wing concerned about the threat from China, he argued that abandoning Ukraine would empower other adversaries.

“We must all ask ourselves – who is watching? America is strong enough to both protect itself at home and recognise that threats in Europe or Asia affect its own security. I … would like Beijing and Tehran to see that.”

Invoking the special relationship, Mr Cameron said it had always been a “defence of freedom”, adding: “This is personal for me. My grandfather stormed the beaches of Normandy under covering fire from US warships. And as prime minister, I ordered the UK military to join the US in driving the Islamic State death cult out of Syria and Iraq. These were terrorists who had beheaded our citizens … in the desert. Together, we ensured they could never carry out such awful acts again.

“As congress debates and votes on this funding package for Ukraine, I am going to drop all diplomatic niceties. I urge congress to pass it.”

Republicans reacted angrily to Mr Cameron’s comments, saying that the UK had not paid its fair share in aiding Ukraine. US taxpayers have already sent an estimated $US113bn.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican congresswoman, who is against sending additional funds to Ukraine, told the Daily Mail: “That’s hilarious. David Cameron can kiss my ass.” Andy Biggs, another Republican, called Mr Cameron’s article “laughable” and “immature”.

The Times