Defence Secretary hits out at Ukraine's demands for weapons: 'We're not Amazon'
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has hit out at Ukraine’s “shopping list” for weapons, claiming: “We’re not Amazon.”
The gaffe-prone Cabinet Minister, once tipped as a future NATO boss, insisted President Volodymyr Zelensky should be more grateful for weapons sent to Kyiv by the West. Speaking to reporters on the fringes of the NATO summit in Vilnius, he suggested the regime should show more gratitude for the arms allies' have already sent, as the Ukrainian leader pushes for more supplies.
Mr Wallace said: “There is a slight word of caution here, which whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude. My counsel to the Ukrainians is sometimes if you’re persuading countries to give up their stocks…” He added: “We are not Amazon, that’s true. I told them (Ukraine) that last year, when I drove 11 hours to be given a list.”
Lib Dem defence spokesman Richard Foord said: "Ukrainian people are dying every single day because of Russia's illegal and unjust invasion - all they are asking for is the equipment needed to protect their country.
"It is ill-judged to scold them for this and demand that they show more ‘gratitude’. Rishi Sunak should make clear that the Defence Secretary’s comments do not represent the UK’s position on our support for Ukraine. It’s vital that we continue to stand for the rules-based order and with the Ukrainian people."
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Slapping down the Defence Secretary, Mr Sunak told a press conference: “President Zelensky has expressed his gratitude for what we have done on a number of occasions.
The leaders met in the margins of the main summit (Getty Images)“I know he and his people are incredibly grateful for the support the UK has shown.”
Earlier, Mr Sunak and Mr Zelensky held private, one-to-one talks where the Prime Minister told the President Ukraine “belongs” in NATO. The pair asked their advisers to leave the room so they could talk privately.
As No10 aides milled around the wooden table, Mr Sunak, wearing a dark suit, white shirt and skinny purple tie, told them: "Actually, you guys, do you just want to leave us to it?” Turning to Mr Zelensky, he said: “Shall we just spend some time alone, one to one?”
The President, clad in military khaki, agreed and sent his officials from the room. Mr Sunak pointedly told Mr Zelensky: “It’s good to see you here at Vilnius, where you belong. We’ve made some very good progress.”
The Ukrainian leader replied: “It’s very good news we are going to have success with security guarantees. I think it’s important.”
The crunch two-day summit in the Lithuanian capital has been overshadowed by rows about when Ukraine can join NATO. The US and Germany were desperate not to outline dates - in contrast to other nations which wanted to boost Kyiv’s morale.
The Ukrainian President told reporters today: “I am confident that after the war Ukraine will be in NATO. We will be doing everything possible to make it happen.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky held a joint press conference (TIM IRELAND/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)Alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg hailed the first meeting of a NATO-Ukraine Commission. Speaking alongside Mr Zelensky, he insisted: “Ukraine is now closer to NATO than ever before. Allies reaffirm that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance.”
Turning to the President, Mr Stoltenberg added: “Today we meet as equals. I look forward to the day we meet as allies.” The NATO chief stressed the importance of Ukrainian victory over Russia, warning that defeat would be a “tragedy for Ukraine if President Putin wins but it will be dangerous for us - it will make us more vulnerable”.
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Later, Mr Zelensky praised an announcement by G7 countries - the UK, US, France, Italy, Canada, Germany and Japan - agreeing to support Ukraine if it is attacked again by Russia when this war ends.
The joint declaration includes potentially sending fighter jets to Kyiv and shipping ammunition that would keep forces stocked for months, along with boosts for training and greater intelligence-sharing.
The PM admitted the security guarantees were “not a substitute for NATO membership”.
But Mr Zelensky said: “I am grateful to all those leaders who offered these packages of support to us.”
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