British and Ukrainian Defense Ministers Meet in Kyiv

British defense minister Ben Wallace arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday morning, May 24, in a surprise visit to discuss vital security issues with his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksiy Reznikov.

The defense ministers discussed the priority of providing arms to Ukraine for future victories, with particular emphasis on long-range weapons.

“Ukraine has received Storm Shadow missiles, which can be used at long ranges. These are among the first long-range missiles provided to Ukraine by its allies,” Wallace said.

“We provided this type of weaponry due to Russia’s constant use of long-range weapons to harm civilians and critical infrastructure.”

The ministers also discussed the continuation of Ukrainian military training in Great Britain, Ukraine’s perspective in the context of the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, and Ukraine’s vision of peace in Europe through President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace formula.

“We had the opportunity to meet with pilots who have studied in Great Britain and are already successfully using the Storm Shadow weapon,” Reznikov said.

Wallace expressed his satisfaction with being in Ukraine and directly communicating with the military.

“I always enjoy visiting the capital, engaging not only with my counterpart, but also with the military, discussing their plans and ambitions, and finding ways I can be more involved in helping to implement these plans,” he said.

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Reznikov thanked Great Britain and Wallace’s team for their support since the first day of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and emphasized that the world has once again witnessed UK leadership and recognized the advantage it brings on the battlefield.