Wallace plea for more gratitude ‘was a bid to get extra help for Kyiv’
BEN Wallace was trying to help Ukraine boost support when he said the country should show more “gratitude” for military aid, sources said yesterday.
The Defence Secretary caused a stir when he made the comment during this week’s Nato summit and suggested Ukraine was treating allies like “Amazon”.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak distanced himself from the remarks and said he understood President Volodymyr Zelensky’s pleas for more advanced weaponry.
Encouraged
But a source close to Mr Wallace insisted the minister had spoken out in a bid to help Ukraine get extra support from nations that have been less willing to send aid to the war-torn country.
The source told the Daily Express: “Mr Wallace was reflecting on the need for Ukraine to address the parts of public opinion and parliaments in the international community who need to be encouraged.”
Some commentators in America have expressed concerns about the volume of weapons being sent to Ukraine. The Pentagon launched a probe into corruption and whether weapons have fallen into the wrong hands.
But no evidence of wrongdoing has been found.
Meanwhile other critics in Europe are concerned about ties with Ukraine dragging Nato closer to an all-out war with Russia.
The PM was forced to address Mr Wallace’s comments as they threatened to overshadow the successful twoday summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. He told reporters President Zelensky was “incredibly grateful for the support that we’ve shown”.
He added: “I completely understand Volodymyr is trying to do everything he can to protect his people and to stop this war.”
President Zelensky hit back at Mr Wallace’s comments at the Summit, where he was urging Western powers to let Ukraine join Nato.
He declared: “I thought we were always very grateful to the UK, to the UK prime minister and the minister for defence, because really people in Britain have always supported Ukraine. And we are forever grateful.
He added: “Truly, Britain is our ally. Maybe the minister wants something special.
“But I think we have a great relationship.”