"Thank You" Would Be Nice. ?

[Khandro]

Ben Wallace said Ukraine needs to be more publicly thankful for western help. He revealed at Nato that when he was presented with a list of weapons by the Ukrainian government last year, he reminded them that he was ‘not Amazon’.

[jno]

the British people at large are contributing a lot to Ukraine, but it's not entirely altruistic - we too need Putin to fail, and we're getting them to do it for us. That's the way alliances work, even unofficial ones.

[rowanwitch]

I like Ben Wallace, he is a realist.

[retrocop]

A thank you always helps. Quite a few NATO nations have deleted their own defensive stocks to assist Ukraine in their worthy endeavours.
From a personal point I know that ammunition for sporting shooters is hard to find and prices through the roof. Our MOD commandeered most of the Bisley armoury stock to train Ukraine soldiers.

[douglas9401]

I might almost vote for Mr Wallace.

[jno]

Wallace was thanked publicly little more than a month ago. Perhaps he's forgotten?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukraine-thanks-uk-for-continued-military-aid-during-defence-secretarys-visit-to-kyiv

[Old_Geezer]

I don't think the arms are given in order to receive gushing thanks; but recent reports of trying to push his arm supplying nations for promises of NATO membership, did seem a little ungrateful and manipulating. One trusts all is back to being good buddies now.

[jno]

I can't think why Wallace went public on this rather than having a chat about it over a beer (the more so since he'd already been thanked). Nothing will cheer Putin up more than the sight of two enemies squabbling over utter trivialities.

[ichkeria]

I like Ben Wallace enormously and he’s led the way in making sure the UK has been at the forefront of helping Ukraine.

I think it’s an odd thing to say tho: Ukraine is very grateful but ultimately we (as in some of the allies) are still doing nowhere near enough.
As someone above said: this is not altruism

[ichkeria]

You’re right jno

[ichkeria]

I’m in the UK.

are you in Ancient Rome ;-)

[ichkeria]

No offence taken

[retrocop]

I'm getting to the stage where I believe Ukraine should be immediately admitted to Nato. Putin is advised to pull out of illegally held Ukraine territory or face the consequences of a unified Nato air force blow the Russians to hell in their lines that occupy Ukraine.
I reckon that may be a wake up call the morons may understand is not a bluff. A small country like Ukraine has shown how easily they can stand up to the bully's aggression and can annihilate the illegal invaders with a little help from their friends. I am surprised how much the Russian forces have been such a concern and worry since I was a kid. They have been shown to be a cowardly , but dangerous, force of infighting drunks with military materiale that is inferior to what the western NATO allies have to offer. Cream the front lines of Russian invaders and let Putin try to explain to his following morons how they justify their 'Special Operations'.

[Old_Geezer]

If they understand it's not a bluff it'd possibly be presented to the Russian people as proof of NATO aggression and validation of their government's stance. I think most want to avoid WW3 if possible.

[ichkeria]

We need to send more weapons, simply. More heavy armour and longer range missiles. And of course get those planes there asap.
Russia's one advantage is their ability to strike from the safety of their own country - often at soft targets.
We need to be doing what we can to degrade that advantage.
It is outrageous that we still seem to fear the Russian response: maybe 16 months ago it was more understandable but they have been exposed as useless in the intervening time. Ful of sound, lies and fury, much of it possibly vodka-fuelled,
Immediate Nato membership would be my wish too but sometimes you just have to live with and accept the reality and in this case the reality is that it would mean Nato taking on Russia directly: now I would say, personally, "bring it on" but there is no stomach for that. In the meantime Ukraine needs to get the hardware and everything else it needs to destroy the invaders: do that and Nato membership will take care of itself.

[ichkeria]

You're right retro.
I was watching an old BBC interview earlier with John McCain: everything he predicted has come true. His abiding message was: Putin is not provoked by strength, he is provoked by weakness. Absolutely right.

[Peter Pedant]

but it's not entirely altruistic

I thought it was obvious that if we didnt arm Ukraine, then we would be fighting miles nearer the channel ( Germany or France) a little later

[Peter Pedant]

I am surprised how much the Russian forces have been such a concern and worry since I was a kid. They have been shown to be a cowardly ,

One of your faves - Monty - rule one: dont invade Russia

They have been shown to be a cowardly , - - nope they raped and shot their way to berlin. In the Great March of the prison camps Jan 1945- May, all the western forces were poo-ing themselves ( yes poo retro) they wd be "liberated" (*) by the Red Army and sent off to gulags
The slavs in the camps ( serbo croats er spring to mind) were not able to reassure that it wasnt that bad

In the great War - people mused ( in France) well it was only a century ago the Russians were in Paris