Ryan Henson and Aliona Hlivco: Conservatives cannot embrace American isolationism over Ukraine

Ryan is the Chief Executive Officer at the Coalition for Global Prosperity and was the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Bedford at the 2019 General Election. Aliona Hlivco is a political analyst and foreign policy expert. She started her career in Ukrainian politics and is Managing Director at the Henry Jackson Society. 

Britain has shown itself to be one of Ukraine’s most significant and unwavering allies. It was a Conservative Prime Minister who first stated that Vladimir Putin must fail. The significance of the conflict is so great that the new Labour government has wasted no time in matching both the rhetoric and the substance shown by their predecessors.

Ukraine is not just fighting for its survival. It is fighting, on behalf of all of us, to uphold the very essence of our global order and our rules-based system. This is something we can no longer take for granted. Over the last 14 years, the UK has woken up to, and faced the reality of, the threat posed to open, globalised, and free markets; something we have all benefited from, and something Conservatives – from Winston Churchill to Margaret Thatcher, right through to Rishi Sunak – have rightly always fought for.

Ukrainian soldiers, sailors, and airmen are safeguarding Europe’s security against a brutal authoritarian regime and its allies. It is imperative to our safety and to our global standing that we show hostile powers that our resolve is strong, our commitment is meaningful, and our support is worthwhile.

The Conservatives have been vital advocates for defending Ukraine’s sovereignty while in government; campaigning alongside the Ukrainian government to secure support from Europe and further afield.

Despite the well-documented internal battles, the Conservative Party’s proactive support for Ukraine never wavered or dropped down the governmental priority list. It has been a unifying cause for the party, uniting ideological wings and those across the aisle in the face of a tyrant who threatens our allies and our way of life.

Alexander Kamyshin, Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, said: ”It was the UK that was the first country to sign the Security Cooperation Agreement with Ukraine, and it was British defence companies that were the first to open their offices here after the start of the great war.”

We were the first to send aid, we trained Ukraine’s brave military including pilots, and we took Ukrainian refugees into our homes with the Conservatives at the helm.

In donating tanks and storm shadow missiles, we forged a path for other European nations to do the same. It’s been argued that David Cameron’s fierce advocacy and careful diplomacy during his visits to Washington were significant factors in enabling Congress to pass the funding package after months of political delay. Boris Johnson continues to serve the cause as his recent visit to the Republican convention and meeting with Donald Trump showed.

As the US approaches its election, there is rightly genuine concern about how the outcome will impact our interconnected world.

The recent selection of JD Vance as the Republican vice president nominee, someone who has said that he does not care what happens to Ukraine, is a reminder that we must not be complacent. Europe must be able to defend itself; and as the first NATO country to commit to spending 2.5 per cent of our GNI on defence, it is right for the UK to urge our allies to match it.

Vance has explicitly called for proactive engagement with Vladimir Putin to deliver for “American interests.” And his particular brand of national conservatism rejects free market trade, international institutions, and multilateralism in favour of an aggressive “America First” policy agenda.

These beliefs are the opposite of fighting aggression and standing up for freedom

The UK is a force for good in the world, and with the world’s sixth-largest economy, we are not without means. Ronald Reagan and Thatcher helped save the world from communism 30 years ago. The next Conservative leader should pick up the torch; rejecting the isolationism of JD Vance and those like him, and making sure the Labour government remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine.

This article was first published in ConHome.