On 31 August, U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace submitted his resignation letter, honoring a promise made last month, according to the Associated Press.
Wallace held his position for four years, overseeing Britain’s military response to the war in Ukraine. He supported Ukraine’s accession to NATO without completing a long-term Membership Action Plan, Sky News reported. He also called on the world to support Ukraine as long as it takes.
Since February 2022, the country has received Challenger 2 tanks, Storm Shadow, long-range cruise missiles Storm Shadow, and Mastiff protected patrol vehicles.
Grant Shapps, one of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s allies, was named the new U.K. defense secretary.
“As I get to work at @DefenceHQ I am looking forward to working with the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who defend our nation’s security, ‘’ Shapps said, adding he would continue “the UK’s support for Ukraine in their fight against (Vladimir) Putin’s barbaric invasion,” he announced on Twitter.
As I get to work at @DefenceHQ I am looking forward to working with the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who defend our nation’s security. And continuing the UK’s support for Ukraine in their fight against Putin’s barbaric invasion.
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) August 31, 2023
Shapps visited Kyiv last week, visiting a power plant undergoing repairs following a Russian missile attack.
