“Ukraine is not Israel”: Cameron’s statement about missiles caused a resonance in Europe

The UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron made a statement that immediately sparked a strong reaction in Ukraine and beyond. According to him, London is not helping to shoot down missiles and drones over Ukraine as it is done over Israel to prevent the escalation of war in Europe.

Cameron stated this on April 15, 2024 on the air of the radio station LBC, effectively drawing a direct line of demarcation between the two wars — and the two Western approaches to containing them.

Fear of escalation as an argument

Cameron directly outlined the key motive of London’s position — the fear of direct military confrontation between NATO and Russia.

“If you want to avoid open escalation in the form of a broader European war, one of the things to avoid is direct contact between NATO troops and Russian troops. That would be a dangerous escalation,” he stated.

This wording reflects the basic logic of many European capitals: support for Ukraine is permissible as long as it does not turn into direct military involvement of the Alliance.

Why over Israel — it is possible

Answering a question about the difference in approaches, Cameron reminded that the UK is involved in the defense of Israel as part of Operation Op Shader — the British military contribution to the international campaign against ISIS.

In this context, London assists the US by providing aviation for intercepting missiles and drones, if technically and operationally possible. However, the minister emphasized, the Ukrainian theater of war is fundamentally different, as Russia is the direct adversary there.

Support — yes, direct involvement — no

Cameron specifically emphasized that the UK will continue:

— financial support for Ukraine;
— diplomatic pressure on Russia;
— military assistance, including weapons and training.

However, he reiterated: direct confrontation of NATO forces with Russian troops is considered a red line, crossing which could lead to uncontrolled escalation in Europe.

What, according to London, Ukraine needs

An important emphasis in Cameron’s statement concerns air defense. According to him, Ukraine currently does not need Western fighters in its skies, but critically needs ground-based air defense systems.

“Ukraine desperately needs more air defense systems. In particular, they need Patriots. The UK does not have them — they are available in other Western countries and the US,” he said.

Thus, London effectively shifts the issue of key supplies to allies, primarily Washington and countries possessing the relevant complexes.

The political subtext of the statement

The phrase “Ukraine is not Israel” was not directly stated but was clearly read between the lines. It reflects the deep dilemma of the West: where is the boundary of permissible assistance when it comes to a war in Europe against a nuclear power.

For Ukraine, this statement became a painful reminder that the level of support is determined not only by moral arguments but also by fears of escalation, which work differently in different regions of the world.

This very gap — between Kyiv’s expectations and the caution of European capitals — today forms one of the key lines of tension in the Western coalition, as reported by NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency.