UK’s David Cameron presses US for Ukraine funding: Putin could ‘be back for more’

by Lauren Irwin - 12/07/23 12:14 PM ET

Britain’s former prime minister David Cameron leaves Downing Street, in London, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday fired Home Secretary Suella Braverman, a divisive figure who drew anger for accusing police of being too lenient with pro-Palestinian protesters. In a highly unusual move, former Prime Minister David Cameron was named foreign secretary. It’s rare for a former leader, and a non-lawmaker, to take a senior government post. The government said Cameron will be appointed to Parliament’s unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords. (James Manning/PA via AP)

United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Cameron pressed U.S. lawmakers to pass funding for Ukraine because Russian President Vladimir Putin could “be back for more.”

“This is an investment into the success, and the worst thing in the world would be to allow Putin a win in Ukraine, not just because that would be bad in itself, but he’d back for more,” Cameron, a former U.K. prime minister, said on CNN.

Senate Democrats introduced a roughly $111 billion national security package requested by President Biden providing aid to Ukraine and Israel and security at the southern border, but the Senate voted Wednesday and failed to reach the 60-vote threshold, ultimately blocking the proposal from coming up for consideration.

As they have for weeks, Republicans held firm and insisted that the bill would not proceed if it did not have enough attention on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Cameron said he is in Washington, D.C., having meetings with his “U.S. counterparts,” including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). He told CNN that Johnson is “committed to getting that money through” to Ukraine.

“Most of the people I met on the Hill yesterday support backing Ukraine because it’s the right thing to do,” Cameron said. “I mean, if you fundamentally think about it, the countries supporting Ukraine, add up the economies, and we outmatch Russia 30 to 1.”

Cameron acknowledged the political differences that are holding up the aid. He said it’s “complicated about exactly how” bills go through Congress but the money would “make a huge difference” to the Ukrainian military and economy.

He said while the U.S. is “the linchpin” for Ukraine, he is seeing the “incredible unity across the European nations” aiding Ukraine. Countries part of NATO are getting “stronger and bigger,” he said.

Cameron argued that right now, European nations are doing more than the U.S. to support the Ukrainian military and the civilians. Still, he said, U.S. support would help.

“There’s no doubt that America coming forward with this package will lift the morale of Ukrainians,” Cameron said. “It will make sure Europe focuses on doing more.”