British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace indicated that if the promised tanks were destroyed, Britain could replace them with new Challenger 2 units. The report on Telegram notes his comment on whether the UK would substitute lost tanks.
“Am I against more tanks? Yes, I don’t mind”, Wallace replied when asked about replenishing the depleted fleet.
Earlier, Wallace suggested that supplying Ukraine with additional tanks would not automatically secure a swift victory against Russia. He pointed to the limited number of serviceable tanks in European arsenals and the shortage of spare parts as challenges facing allied forces.
Earlier still, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged Western nations not to view their own stockpiles negatively. He defended the stance, arguing that Western weapons sent to Ukraine strengthen the security of the donor countries by contributing to deterrence. He noted that the United Kingdom provided Ukraine with 2.3 billion pounds ($2.8 billion) in military aid last year and indicated funding could rise this year.
Source: Telegram. The reporting reflects the official positions of UK leadership on the balance between maintaining national defense stocks and supporting Ukraine through military assistance. [Telegram]