UK Defense Secretary visits Ukraine, meets Reznikov

U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on May 24 and met with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov.

The officials discussed security issues, the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, and Kyiv's prospects for joining the alliance, reported Ukraine's Defense Ministry.

They also discussed U.K.'s training program for Ukrainian soldiers and military supplies, Reznikov said, adding that special attention was paid to long-range weapons.

The U.K. has become the first country to provide Ukraine with weapons capable of reaching targets deep into Russian-occupied territories, namely Storm Shadow missiles. Ukrainian soldiers are already using them to strike Russian targets.

The Ukrainian defense minister thanked Wallace for "an absolutely unshakable and decisive position" on supporting Ukraine in its efforts to defend against a full-scale Russian invasion.

"The world has seen the leadership of the United Kingdom again, the world has seen true friendship again, and the world has seen that leadership gives an edge on the battlefield," added Reznikov.

The United Kingdom spent 2.3 billion British pounds (about 2.8 billion) on defense assistance to Ukraine last year and has committed the same amount in 2023.

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Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk