London, UK – Kemi Badenoch has strongly defended Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, rejecting any claims that he is a dictator. She described him as a democratically elected leader who has shown immense courage in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Badenoch reaffirmed the UK’s continued support for Ukraine, stressing that the Conservative Party has consistently stood by Kyiv during its struggle against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“President Zelenskyy is not a dictator. He is the democratically elected leader of Ukraine who bravely stood up to Putin’s illegal invasion. Under my leadership, and under successive Conservative Prime Ministers, we have and always will stand with Ukraine,” she wrote.
Badenoch also weighed in on comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly urged European nations to take on a greater share of defense spending. Trump recently suggested that NATO allies must do more to secure their own defenses instead of relying primarily on the United States.
Backing Trump’s position, Badenoch acknowledged the need for European countries, including the United Kingdom, to increase their contributions toward military preparedness.
“President Trump is right that Europe needs to pull its weight – and that includes the UK. We need to get serious,” she stated.
The Conservative MP further urged Prime Minister Kier Stammer to move forward with a defense spending increase, revealing that a fully funded plan to raise military expenditure to 2.5% of GDP is already on the table.
She emphasized that bolstering defense is not only a strategic necessity but a national security priority, especially as geopolitical tensions continue to rise across Europe and beyond.
“The PM will have my support to increase defense spending – there is a fully funded plan to get to 2.5% sitting on his desk. That should be the bare minimum.”
Badenoch also took a swipe at Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, accusing him of failing to show decisive leadership on defense and foreign policy matters. She challenged Starmer to take action by engaging directly with Washington to discuss the UK’s commitments to NATO and its allies.
More Read
“Starmer should get on with it, get on a plane to Washington, and show some leadership. We cannot afford to get this wrong.”
Her remarks come at a time when global security concerns, particularly regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, are prompting renewed discussions about NATO’s future and the role of European nations in maintaining regional stability.
Badenoch’s strong stance aligns with broader Conservative Party efforts to reinforce the UK’s military commitments, even as debates over government spending priorities continue to shape political discourse ahead of the next general election.
