Defence Secretary of the UK, Ben Wallace says the UK is unlikely to send troops if Russia Invades Ukraine

Earlier this week, Russia issued a list of demands to NATO concerning Ukraine and surrounding territories. The Kremlin also warned NATO about “military actions” if these demands were not fully met.

Moreover, Russia had started to amass troops near the Ukraine border for the last few months. An estimated 200,000 troops are already near the Ukraine border, which the west saw as a prelude to a Ukraine invasion. However, the Kremlin has denied preparing for an invasion of Ukraine and instead blamed the Ukrainian government for increasing tensions in the region.

On Monday, the UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, spoke to Putin over a call and reasserted his support for Ukraine. Boris Johnson also warned Russia that an invasion of Ukraine would be a “strategic mistake” Boris Johnson also warned Russia of significant consequences if Russia decided to invade Ukraine.

However, just days after these statements, the defence secretary of the UK, Ben Wallace, said that the likelihood of NATO and the UK sending troops to defend Ukraine is very low. In an interview with the Spectator, he said, “Ukraine is not a member of Nato, so it is highly unlikely that anyone will send troops into Ukraine to challenge Russia”.

He also added, “We shouldn’t kid people we would. The Ukrainians are aware of that; we can all help with capacity building, but to some extent, Ukraine is not in Nato, and that is why we are doing the best diplomatically to say to Putin, don’t do this.

Wallace and the Ukrainian defence minister, Oleksii Yuriyovych Reznikov, also issued a joint statement on 16 November, which said they were “concerned” by Russia’s military buildup and that “The United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine and will continue its longstanding determination to support them.”