Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood has said that the UK must “face Russia directly” in the conflict in Ukraine.
Last month, the fighting capability of the British armed forces came under scrutiny, after a senior US general informed the British Defence Secretary that the Army was no longer seen as “top-level” fighting force by the United States.
Speaking to Sky News, Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, the head of the Parliamentary Defence Committee, demanded that the British government modernise the army, which was in a “dire state,” due to their “decades old” collection of tanks, with new ones not being put into production until 2030.
"We need to face Russia directly" Tobias Ellwood UK MP. An act that would lead to millions killed. This is unhinged.pic.twitter.com/em2oYyI8E8
— Robin Monotti (@robinmonotti) February 3, 2023
“The world is changing. We are now at war in Europe. We need to move to a war-footing,” Ellwood said. “We are involved in that. We’ve mobilised our procurement processes. We’re gifting equipment. We need to face Russia directly, rather than leaving Ukraine to do all the work.”
He added that there is an “expectation” that if Russia proceeded to invade other countries, such as the Baltic states, Britain would “participate” in their defence. “That would require land forces, air as well, and maritime too,” he said. “We’ve whittled it down over the last couple of decades, we’ve become complacent. So we’re unable to meet all the tasks…”
Ellwood’s demand that the UK “face Russia directly” in Ukraine came under scrutiny online, with some commentors saying that doing so would be “unhinged,” and lead to “millions killed.”
#Britain should engage directly in war against #Russia, says Tobias Ellwood, head of the British parliament's defence committee. "We are at war in Europe, we need to move to martial law". pic.twitter.com/4mibIJqECW
— tim anderson (@timand2037) February 3, 2023
Last month, Annalena Bauerbock, the German Foreign Minister and head of the German Green Party, made similar comments in a session of the European Parliament.
“I’ve said already in the last days, yes, we have to do more to defend Ukraine. Yes, we have to do more also on tanks,” Bauerbock said. “But the most important and crucial part is, that we do it together, and that we do not do the blame game in Europe, because we are fighting a war against Russia, and not against each other.”
German foreign minister declares war on Russia pic.twitter.com/C4cAqnZXhD
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) January 25, 2023
Ellwood, a staunch neo-conservative, demanded before the Russian invasion that the UK and NATO enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which would inevitably involve conflict between NATO and Russian fighter aircraft. Last month, he suggested that an Afghan refugee who murdered a British man only did so because he was exposed to “the horrors of war.”
If we are serious about European security then these ‘lines in the snow’ should INCLUDE not EXCLUDE Ukraine.
Otherwise an invasion is inevitable.
At a minimum we should offer Ukraine a NATO enforced
‘NO FLY ZONE’.It’s time to show strength, purpose and unity. https://t.co/meaRVYMoiy
— Tobias Ellwood MP (@Tobias_Ellwood) February 10, 2022
John C
February 4, 2023 at 10:55 am
England once again in the middle of causing a war. If England and their Banks were gone, the world would be much more peaceful.
Lawrence
February 4, 2023 at 3:37 pm
Yup, so they can shove it a country mile up their kazoo as far as I’m concerned; but our criminal administration has already siphoned off hundreds of billions of our tax dollars to the criminals over there to do the money laundering thing and get all those kickbacks going while we Americans are loosing our rights and country!!! FJB!!!
Lawrence
February 4, 2023 at 3:39 pm
Losing our Rights and Country!!!
Chumlee Mac Diesel
February 4, 2023 at 1:54 pm
Britain’s life expectancy will be less than 10 minutes.
#StupidIsAsStupidDoes
Lawrence
February 4, 2023 at 3:40 pm
That joke woke nation is hanging by threads! But leave it to FJB and we are not far behind now!
Dan
February 4, 2023 at 2:38 pm
Why don’t Toby, Annalena, and Boris get a green t-shirt and get themselves right on down to Bakhmut? With Lieut. Vindman leading them, I’m sure they will be in Moscow within the week.
Lawrence
February 4, 2023 at 3:41 pm
So True!
Paul
February 4, 2023 at 2:51 pm
Seems I recall a recent article saying the UK military has been decimated at home and is not adequate to defending their own Country mush less an Expeditionary war. Are his words “we” a euphemism for the World Police, US Military? I love the idea of sending the Vindman twins. Make them 4 star Field Marshalls in the Ukrainian military. Odd that they didn’t volunteer yet.
stumphumper
February 4, 2023 at 3:32 pm
why can’t the western nations fight wars without dragging other nations along with them? if Russia is such a paper tiger then the UK could finish it over the weekend. same goes for the US
Lawrence
February 4, 2023 at 3:33 pm
“We need to face Russia directly, rather than leaving Ukraine to do all the work.”
What does this Brit Imbecile mean let Ukraine do all the work?
America has been the only one actually supporting that criminal oligarchy regime with hundreds of billions of tax payer dollars and actual military equipment while socialist ass backwards GB has done diddlysquat and has its collective head up its own asre!
How about we tell the UK and all of the European Union to take care of its own backyard and leave us the hell out of it all and let’s see how they take on Russia!
george
February 4, 2023 at 8:07 pm
if europe wants a war, so be it, but with out any other countries getting involved. why should i die for a foreign country that i owe nothing to.
Daniel
February 6, 2023 at 7:07 am
One nuke in the middle of London will end that quick. The only thing you’ll hear is “duh, we didn’t think he’d do it.”
Craig
February 7, 2023 at 3:39 am
Face Russia direct?! – imagine the impact Russia could have on the UK with more insidious weapons which it has demonstrated it is capable of in the past to instill fear and uncertainty- Novochok left indiscriminately around the country, and Polonium in water supplies. Probably only need about a litre of each in the country to cause complete countrywide devastation.