British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed several issues, including the war in Gaza and military aid for Ukraine, as well as the “vital” U.S.-UK Indian Ocean air base at Diego Garcia.
The two top officials met as David Cameron made his first visit to Washington DC as Foreign Secretary to reaffirm the strength of the UK-US relationship and support for Ukraine. “There is no more important relationship for Britain than this partnership with the United States. And I’m glad to see that it’s not only stronger than ever – the AUKUS agreement, the Atlantic Declaration” make the relationship even stronger, Cameron said.
US and UK pledge support for Ukraine
In a joint press talk on December 7, 2023, Secretary Blinken and United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Cameron emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. They discuss ongoing efforts to ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and the need for continued economic, diplomatic, and military assistance.
They mentioned the NATO solidarity in supporting Ukraine with over 50 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, providing significant support. The U.S. has contributed over $70 billion, and European allies have provided more than $110 billion in military economic and humanitarian support.
“The UK’s leadership has been absolutely essential. The UK has committed the second most of any country after the United States in military assistance” and across the board, Blinken said.
Cameron presses US for Ukraine funding
Cameron urged U.S. lawmakers to pass funding for Ukraine because Russian President Vladimir Putin could “be back for more,” warning that “next time it could well be a NATO Ally, in which case it wouldn’t just be British and American funds and weapons, it would be British and American lives.”
He said it is important that “we go on funding Ukraine and helping Ukraine in every way we can to resist Putin’s illegal invasion.”
Middle East war and Israeli offensive in Gaza
The two foreign secretaries expressed unity in supporting Israel’s right to defend itself while also emphasizing the need for Israel to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian assistance to Gaza and the ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages.
Blinken said that the two countries are convinced that “Israel must do everything it can to protect civilians, to ensure that humanitarian assistance flows into Gaza. For our part, the United States has made clear that Israel has to make maximum efforts to avoid civilian casualties, even as Hamas continues to use civilians as human shields.”
The leaders also discussed the issue of hostages, expressing a commitment to exploring every means for their secure release. Additionally, the talks focused on preventing the spread of conflict in the Middle East, safeguarding maritime security, and addressing issues in the West Bank.
They discuss the importance of safeguarding maritime security in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, addressing extremist settler violence, and working towards durable peace. Blinken said “We have every reason to believe the attacks were enabled by Iran, by weapons supplied by Iran to the Houthis. And we are closely coordinating on steps to protect maritime shipping and to make sure that this practice stops. We’re also focused on ensuring that anything that would add to instability in the West Bank does not continue.” The two sides also highlighted the significance of building a foundation for durable peace and security in Gaza.
US and UK approach to China
The leaders also discussed their approach to the People’s Republic of China, aligning on key challenges in the Indo-Pacific. They emphasize the importance of addressing nonmarket practices and working together on global issues such as artificial intelligence safety and climate change as well as ensuring peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
In their discussions, the leaders seized the opportunity to deliberate on their shared approach to the People’s Republic of China. Aligned on key challenges in the Indo-Pacific, they underscored the importance of ensuring peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and standing against nonmarket practices by the PRC.
Cameron said that“It is very important that we not only protect ourselves better against Chinese cyber attacks and other hostile acts, but I think it’s also important that we align with our allies and friends so that we have a more joined-up and combined position on all the issues with respect to China.”
