David Cameron reveals he’s hosted a Ukrainian family in his home as Foreign Secretary hails Britain’s new links with Kyiv – and he warns US and EU to stump up more cash for war-torn country or they’ll ‘hand a Christmas present to Putin’
David Cameron today revealed he’d joined thousands of other Britons in welcoming a Ukrainian family into his home since Russia’s invasion.
The Foreign Secretary, appearing before a House of Lords committee, hailed the ‘cultural links’ that were being forged between hosts and refugees.
He told peers he was keen to ensure Britain’s relationship with Ukraine was ‘as broad as possible’ and said deeper ties with Kyiv were a ‘huge opportunity’ for the UK.
And, in a stern warning to other Western allies, the ex-PM warned a failure by the US or EU to give new support to Ukraine would be ‘a Christmas present to Vladimir Putin’.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year, around 25,000 households in Britain offered to taken in refugees from the eastern European country.
Other Tory politicians to have taken in Ukrainians have also included Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, former health secretary Matt Hancock, and ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick.
David Cameron revealed he’d joined thousands of other Britons in welcoming a Ukrainian family into his home since Russia ‘s invasion.
The Foreign Secretary , appearing before a House of Lords committee, hailed the ‘cultural links’ that were being forged between hosts and refugees
Soon after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, Lord Cameron drove a small lorry full of supplies for Ukrainian refugees to the country’s border with Poland
Giving evidence to the House of Lords’ European Affairs Committee this afternoon, Lord Cameron revealed his own hosting of a refugee family.
‘One of the discussions we had this week in Cabinet was about making sure the UK partnership with Ukraine is as broad as possible,’ the Foreign Secretary told peers.
‘It shouldn’t just include the economic and diplomatic support.
‘I mean the cultural links that are growing our countries, the fact that so many people – myself included – have hosted Ukrainian families in their homes.
‘I think this is a huge opportunity for us to grow much closer to a European country, which I have no doubt will be an enormous success story.’
Lord Cameron noted how Ukraine’s per capita GDP was currently ‘about one-third’ the level of Poland’s, but said he didn’t see ‘any reason’ why that could not grow.
‘Longer-term this is an important relationship for the UK, we’re determined to make the most of it and, in terms of reconstruction, we’re very joined up with partners,’ he added.
Soon after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, Lord Cameron drove a small lorry full of supplies for Ukrainian refugees to the country’s border with Poland.
The ex-premier announced the March 2022 trip on Twitter, where he said he had been volunteering for two years at a food project in west Oxfordshire called the Chippy Larder.
Through the project, he said donations had been taken in for refugees from Ukraine and they now had enough ‘to fill a small lorry with everything from nappies to sanitary products, warm clothes to first aid kits’.
In his committee appearance afternoon, the Foreign Secretary told peers he would ‘try and stay out’ of an ongoing political row in Washington DC as the US Congress argues over continued funding for Ukraine.
But Lord Cameron suggested the issue would be ‘fixed’, saying: ‘It can be fixed and I think it will be fixed. I’m just not sure it will be fixed in time for Christmas, which is frustrating.
‘The best Christmas present we could give to the Ukrainians is to pass both those packages and if we don’t, we’re giving a Christmas present to Vladimir Putin and we shouldn’t be doing that.’
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