October 1st 2023.
Revision:
Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has unveiled new plans to bring more British military training into Ukraine. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Shapps discussed how he has been speaking with Army chiefs about the possibility of training more soldiers in Ukraine and urged British defense firms to establish production in the country.
Last week, Mr Shapps and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Kyiv to discuss the Royal Navy's potential involvement in guarding commercial vessels in the Black Sea. Mr Shapps also noted Britain's commitment to helping Ukraine become a member of NATO. His talks with the president were followed by a visit to a military base on Salisbury Plain where he was briefed by General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff, and other senior figures.
The Defense Secretary stated that he is keen to see more British companies set up manufacturing in Ukraine, and he also discussed the possibility of moving training closer to Ukraine. Since the start of 2022, more than 20,000 Ukrainian recruits have been trained in the UK, but NATO members have been reluctant to begin training programs in Ukraine due to the risk of drawing personnel into combat with Russia.
Mr Shapps also hinted Britain could play a more active role in the Black Sea, where Russia has targeted cargo ships. He said Britain's naval expertise could help advise on the situation, and that Britain should not allow a situation to establish that international shipping is not allowed in the water.
Ahead of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Mr Shapps made a point to say that Britain should reinstate former Prime Minister Liz Truss' pledge to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP. He also said it would be irresponsible not to reconsider plans for HS2 rail line in light of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Finally, he ruled out diversity quotas in the military, but noted that migrants to the UK should learn English.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
