The UK armed forces may have to fight in Ukraine, the country’s former Defense Ministry chief Ben Wallace said, calling for an increase in defense spending, The Daily Mail writes on March 19.
Wallace suggested it “cannot be ruled out” that British troops will need to be sent to Ukraine to confront Vladimir Putin’s forces. Speaking to Times Radio, he added: “We have to use this phrase: ‘we cannot exclude them.’
“I mean, ultimately, part of deterrence is ambiguity…keeping the adversary guessing how far we’re going to go and what we’re going to do. This is what Putin does masterfully: he keeps everyone in suspense. “It’s important that we never block the way and keep people guessing.””Wallace emphasized.
Ben Wallace has asked all parties to include in their electoral programs the commitment to set 3% of GDP as the minimum level of defense spending. According to him, the country cannot wait for the economic situation to improve, but must invest now in defense.
“We need to set our defense spending not in terms of when economic conditions allow it, what the policy of the Prime Minister and the government is, but in terms of when the threat demands it.”Wallace said. — Ultimately, this is what determines how much we spend, not economic conditions. “This is the threat and what we must do to protect ourselves.”
Recall that the latest data published by the UK Ministry of Defense shows that the country’s military budget has a deficit of £16 billion. They attempted to partially cover increased military expenditures with funds reserved for promising investments.
Recall that Ben Wallace served as Secretary of Defense of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2023. He resigned after his candidacy for the post of NATO secretary general was rejected.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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