Over the past 4 months, Ukraine has destroyed 20% of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, announced the UK Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps. This information was confirmed by Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council Oleksiy Danilov.
The destruction of the large Russian landing ship Novocherkassk in the occupied Crimea disproves the claim of an alleged “stalemate” in the war, Shapps emphasized.
“Russia’s dominance in the Black Sea is now challenged and the new UK & Norway led Maritime Capability Coalition is helping to ensure Ukraine will win at sea,” Shapps said.
The West cannot afford to lose a full-scale war by Russia against Ukraine and must ensure the Ukrainian Armed Forces are provided with everything necessary, the minister also stated. Shapps is convinced that the world is “sleepwalking into an autocratic era, and this is incredibly dangerous.”
“Unfortunately, the world must realize that it is impossible to remain with (defense budgets) from the era after the Cold War. There are many countries, including G7 countries, that spend 1-2% of GDP on defense. We cannot ensure our prosperity and way of life by scrimping on our basic defense (needs),” the minister emphasized.
Defense spending, especially in the United Kingdom, is currently insufficient, so the country plans to change that gradually. “And I think the rest of the West will have to do the same… This is the reality of a much more dangerous world in which we live. We must clearly realize this. Supporting Ukraine is not charity,” added Shapps.
The world cannot let Putin win because “the consequences will be incredibly difficult,” says the minister. “We know what happens when others perceive weakness or what they perceive as weakness, and it can have consequences in the Indo-Pacific region or elsewhere. So we literally cannot afford not to win this war,” Shapps concluded.
Cover: Alexey Pavlishak | Reuters
