Wallace: UK govt will send more weapons to Ukraine

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has announced the UK government will send more weapons to Ukraine for the country to defend itself against Russian aggression.

Updating MPs on the Ukraine war in the Commons, Mr Wallace also said that the UK is exploring the possibility of donating anti-air missiles to Ukraine.

Supplies of rations, medical equipment and other non-lethal military aid will also be increased, the defence secretary said.

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UK to send more weapons

It comes as the Russian invasion enters its 14th day.

“On January 17, I announced to the House the government’s intention to supply military aid to the Ukrainian armed forces,” he told MPs.

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“The initial supply was to be 2,000 new light anti-tank weapons, smaller arms and ammunition.

“In response to further acts of aggression by Russia we have now increased that supply.

“I can update the House as of today we will have delivered 3,615 NLAWs (anti-tank missiles) and will continue to deliver more.

“We will shortly be starting the delivery of small consignments of anti-tank Javelin missiles as well.”

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He continued: “In response to a Ukrainian request, the government has taken the decision to explore the donation of Starstreak high-velocity manned portable anti-air missiles.

“We believe that this system will remain within the definition of defensive weapons but will allow the Ukrainian force to better defend their skies.

“We shall also be increasing the supplies of rations, medical equipment and other non-lethal military aid.”

Shapps: UK will not do something ‘which escalates this war’

Mr Wallace also stressed the government was “bound by the decision to supply defensive systems” and not escalate the war.

Earlier today, Grant Shapps said the UK is “not inadvertently doing something which escalates this war in a way that would be unacceptable to the entire world” as he seemingly confirmed that a deal with Poland to supply fighter jets to Ukraine is off.

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The transport secretary told Sky News that all NATO partners “work together” on the situation in Ukraine, adding: “It is important that we are a defensive organisation which means we won’t be getting directly involved in the war.”

The Pentagon has rejected Poland’s offer to give the United States its MiG-29 fighters, with the intention of them then being passed to Ukraine.

Mr Shapps said the reported deal to loan fighter jets is “not something which is going to develop”, but that the UK “are providing huge amounts of support”.

Mr Wallace told MPs in the Commons that if the international community stand together against Russian aggression “then the Kremlin’s threats cannot hurt us”.

“We should take strength from the peoples right across Europe who are standing shoulder to shoulder to protect our values, our freedom, our tolerance, our democracy and our free press. That is our shield,” he said.

The defence secretary added that it is Ukraine’s “darkest hour”.

PM resists calls to drop visa requirements

It comes as Boris Johnson has continued to resist calls from Kyiv and MPs across the House to drop visa requirements for Ukrainians fleeing the violence, insisting the security checks are necessary to ensure the UK’s safety.

The prime minister said a thousand visas had been granted under the scheme allowing relatives of people in Britain to flee the war zone to join their families and he promised another programme allowing individuals to offer a home to Ukrainians would be set out in “the next few days”.

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“We’ve already got 1,000 people in under the existing scheme, that number will climb very sharply,” Mr Johnson said. “No one has been turned away.”

The PM added: “We know how unscrupulous Putin can be in his methods, it would not be right to expose this country to unnecessary security risk and we will not do it.

“We are going to be as generous as we can possibly be, but we must have checks.”

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