British Defense Minister Ben Wallace suggested on Wednesday that Ukraine should show a little more gratitude for the large amount of military equipment it has received from Western countries, The Guardian reports.
The British official made the comment after his reporters asked him about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s criticism that his country was not offered a clear timetable for joining NATO in Vilnius or a set of criteria that must be met to be accepted into the military alliance.
Wallace said Ukrainians’ rush to get what they need to fight invading forces also means they are not always grateful for the aid they receive.
“Whether we like it or not, people want to see more gratitude,” he said on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius.
“Sometimes you ask countries to give up their own stockpiles of weapons,” he said, adding that repeated requests to do so could cause electoral problems for Western politicians who would otherwise strongly support Ukraine.
“Sometimes you have to convince legislators on the hill[ul Capitoliului] America, Wallace added, referring to Congress in Washington.
Ben Wallace says he received a “shopping list” from the Ukrainian government
The British Minister of Defense also said that last year he went to Ukraine, where he received a “shopping list” for Kyiv’s necessary weapons.
“You know, we’re not Amazon. I told them that last year when I drove 11 hours to get the list,” he said.
At the same time, Ben Wallace noted that he understands that President Zelensky was addressing his own people with these statements, and emphasized that the results of the summit are good for Ukraine.
According to a British official, the clear message that “Ukraine’s place in NATO” is a de facto invitation to join the alliance after the end of the war.
His comments came after The Washington Post reported earlier on Wednesday that Zelenskyi had angered US officials with remarks he made while in Vilnius.
In October of last year, the American press wrote that President Joe Biden lost his temper during a telephone conversation with Zelensky because of his repeated requests for new arms deliveries.
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Source: Hot News
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