U.K. Defense Secretary Told Ukraine His Country Is Not ‘Amazon’ For Weapons: ‘Want to See a Bit of Gratitude’

Yves Herman, Pool Photo via AP

UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace reportedly told Ukraine that his country was not “Amazon” for weapons and that members of NATO wanted “to see a bit of gratitude.”

According to the Guardian, Wallace said during the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania this week that “whether we like it or not, people want to see a bit of gratitude” from Ukraine.

Wallace pointed out that Ukraine and its allies were “persuading countries to give up their own stocks” of weapons and ammunition,” and that they also had “to persuade doubting politicians” that supporting Ukraine was “worthwhile” in its war with Russia.

Wallace reportedly said, “I told them that last year, when I drove 11 hours to be given a list, that I’m not like Amazon” — a reference to the online retailer Amazon.com.

During the summit, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan also made similar remarks about the US and NATO deserving “gratitude” for their support to Ukraine.

“The United States of America has stepped up to provide an enormous amount of capacity to help ensure that Ukraine’s brave soldiers have the ammunition, the air defense, the infantry fighting vehicles, the mine-clearing equipment, and so much else to be able to effectively defend against Russia’s onslaught and to take territory back as well,” he said, adding that “the American people do deserve a degree of gratitude,” as does “every allied partner that’s supporting it.”

Following Wallace and Sullivan’s remarks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a speech, “I am grateful to all leaders in NATO countries for very practical and unprecedented support.”