British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has said that amid intense talks with Russia, NATO must "prepare for the worst". At the same time, he promised that London would "repel the aggressors" amid fears of a possible Moscow invasion of Ukraine, writes The Independent.
Speaking at an event marking the 40th anniversary of the Falkland Islands war, Ben Wallace said distance "should not hinder Britain" in its efforts to "protect those who cannot defend themselves" as the West confronts Russia. "Aggression" against neighboring Ukraine.
Meanwhile, important talks in Geneva between the United States and Russia have so far apparently failed to yield any results due to differences between the countries over both Ukraine and other contentious issues. At the same time, Moscow gathered a group of tens of thousands of soldiers on the Ukrainian border. With this in mind, the main goal of the talks is to prevent a crisis that threatens to escalate into a full-scale military conflict.
In a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Wallace said the pages of history were "permeated by the consequences of those who underestimate our small island", adding that Britain would not give in to the "scale of the problem" in Eastern Europe. .
"Everyone knows about the events in Europe this week, and I informed the House of Commons earlier about our concerns about Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine and the insane attempts to divert attention with false statements and stories of NATO expansionism," he said. the Minister of Defense.
"So while we hope for the best in terms of diplomatic efforts this week, we should not be overly optimistic and prepare for the worst," Wallace added. "Parallels with the events of 40 years ago hardly need to be introduced, but I think the threats to our country, our people, our allies and our territory, coming from any direction and at any time, are of the utmost importance."
"Our enemies must not question Britain's determination to fight the aggressors and protect those who cannot defend themselves and our values," he said. "The distance, as well as the scale of the problem, must not hinder Britain, and the pages of history are dotted with the consequences for those who underestimated our small island."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development also called on Russia to "stop acts of aggression", noting that any invasion of Ukraine would have "serious consequences".
A spokesman for the ministry also said: "The United Kingdom is working closely with our allies and partners, including the United States, to make it clear to Russia that we are against its campaign to undermine its democratic neighbors. Russia must stop its acts of aggression and embark on the path of diplomacy. "
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