Former UK Defense Sec Suggests Ukraine Mobilize Younger Recruits

Former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace suggested that young people should be actively recruited and mobilised into the Ukrainian armed forces.

In a commentary for a British publication, Wallace stated, "I appreciate President Zelensky's wish to protect the young for the future. However, the Ukrainian armed forces 'counter-offensive' ran the risk of being slowed down at the current rate of mobilisation," he emphasised.

Wallace also urged Ukraine to reassess the extent of its mobilisation, as Britain did in 1939 and 1941. Beside his resignation as defense secretary, Ben Wallace revealed that he strongly advised Rishi Sunak to allocate an additional £2.3 billion in military aid for Ukraine.

“The UK is no longer the biggest European donor to Ukraine - Germany is.” Rishi stated.

Discussions in Whitehall have revealed conflicts between the Ministry of Defense and the Treasury regarding previous funding for Ukraine, which were under the oversight of Prime Minister Sunak until July of last year.

On the first day of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, divisions over defence were evident. Sunak played down the possibility of sending British military trainers to Ukraine after Grant Shapps, the new defence secretary, raised the idea.

Since the beginning of 2022, more than 23,500 Ukrainian recruits have undergone combat training at army bases across the UK. They have been trained in subjects such as weapons handling and battlefield first aid. A further 20,000 recruits will be trained, as promised by the UK government earlier this year.

A generous aid package has been committed to Ukraine, totaling £2.3 billion ($2.8 billion). This investment aims to supply the country with essential resources, such as anti-tank weapons, missile systems, and a wide array of equipment.

Similarly, the current British Defence Minister, Grant Sharpps, suggested on Sunday that British military training of Ukrainian soldiers, which currently takes place in British bases, could be moved to western Ukraine, British media report.

Shapps, who succeeded Ben Wallace as defence secretary in August, said he had also discussed this week with Ukrainian President Zelensky the Royal Navy's support for the defence of merchant shipping in the Black Sea.

He went on to advise British defence companies to think about setting up production in Ukraine. Referring to the UK's leading defense and aerospace manufacturers, Shapps said: "Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things into the country, not just training. We're seeing BAE, for example, moving into manufacturing in the country".

He continued: "I'm keen to see other British companies playing their part by doing the same".