Ben Wallace 'confident' defence budget will meet British Armed Forces' needs

Defence Secretary calls for £11 billion increase over next two years

Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace watches Ukrainian troops being trained by the British Army at Bovington Camp, south-west England, on February 22. AFP

Britain’s Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said he is confident Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will give the armed forces a budget big enough to meet its needs.

Mr Wallace, a former soldier, spoke after reports suggested his department would be allocated less than it had requested.

He has said defence spending needs to rise by up to £11 billion ($13.23 billion) over the next two years to cover the cost of the war in Ukraine and rising inflation.

But after talks between Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt and Mr Wallace, media reports suggest that figure could be between £4 billion and £5 billion.

'Give defence a 10-year budget'

Speaking at Conservative Home’s defence and security conference in Westminster on Monday, Mr Wallace appeared optimistic before the spring budget, scheduled for next Thursday.

Mr Wallace used his appearance at the gathering to stress the need for the British Army to be "match fit", given that a war is raging on the continent.

He said that the world looked set to become “more insecure, more unstable and more anxious in the next decade or two decades”.

“We need to recognise that."

As arms donations to Kyiv continue, Mr Wallace said a key task for the government was to show it is committed to restocking weapons.

Turning to procurement, he said there had been "a political lack of courage over the decades to just delete things" off order lists.

Mr Wallace said that if a particular project was not needed, "you get much greater waste by deferring" than you do by binning it.

"Deferrals might be convenient and politically a clever way of hiding and telling the public you can't have everything you want," he said.

He suggested Britain should look to its European allies for inspiration on spending.

“I think the biggest thing that the government could do [to help], and it’s been recommended on three reviews … [is] give me a 10-year budget," Mr Wallace said.

"My Italian colleagues have a 10-year budget, my German colleagues have a 10-year budget, my French colleagues have a 10-year budget. I was in Saudi [Arabia] last week and they have a 10-year budget."

His trip to Riyadh included a meeting with the Saudi Defence Minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, after which they signed a defence agreement to strengthen their combat relationship.

Mr Wallace said he was proud of the difference the UK had made in helping Ukraine to defend itself against invading forces.

But he added: “We must invest in the future as well and learn the lessons from what we’re seeing on the battlefield to make sure we are match fit [going] towards whatever happens next.”

Putin bogged down in quagmire

More than a year after the Kremlin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin “is in a difficult position”, Mr Wallace said.

He highlighted Moscow selling oil and gas to China at a 25 per cent discount as a sign of Mr Putin’s desperation.

“That makes Russia dependent on China in the way that it is desperately wanting to avoid,” Mr Wallace said.

The war in Ukraine, which Russia calls a “special military operation”, and western sanctions have dealt heavy blows to the Russian economy.

Mr Wallace said Mr Putin “has lost well over 188,000 soldiers” in Ukraine and has enjoyed only minimal territorial gains.

“So he is in a difficult position,” he said. “Yes, he has captured a small amount of territory [but] he has had to drop back [in other areas].”

The figure mentioned by Mr Wallace was similar to an estimate given by US intelligence in January, albeit that referred to both dead and injured Russian troops.

He predicted the Russian leader would “settle down for the long haul because that’s his only option, he has no other option apart from international escalation, which we all worry about [and] we work to mitigate”.

Repeating the Conservative government’s pledge to stand by Kyiv no matter how long the war drags on, he said: “We’re with Ukraine to the end.

“At the end, I think, is the expulsion of Russia from Ukraine and indeed forcing Russia into some form of negotiation … when Ukraine is in a position of strength and it gets to choose what it wants to do with its future."

Nato allies’ donations of “nearly 200 tanks across the board” to Ukraine has sent a “pretty strong statement” to Russia about the transatlantic alliance’s support for Kyiv's war efforts, Mr Wallace said.

Support for Ukraine on anniversary of Russian invasion - in pictures

Supporters hold a Ukrainian flag at a solidarity march to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Budapest, Hungary. Reuters

A protest to mark the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Berlin. Reuters

Supporters in front of Helsinki Cathedral during Light for Ukraine candlelight memorial event at Senate Square in Helsinki, Finland. Reuters

Representatives stand for a moment of silence during the United Nations Security Council meeting on the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine at the UN headquarters in New York. AFP

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, with Ukrainian ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko, centre, his wife Inna and members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces outside 10 Downing Street in London, as they observe a minute's silence. AP

The Portuguese Parliament is lit with the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag, in Lisbon AP

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government building is lit with the Ukraine national flag colours. Getty Images

Supporters carry Ukrainian flags during a demonstration in Bangkok. EPA

Ukrainian volunteers take part in prayers and observe a minute of silence, in south-east England. Getty

Protesters near the Russian embassy in Seoul, South Korea. EPA

People lay flowers at a monument of Ukrainian poet, writer, artist, public and political figure Taras Shevchenko, in Almaty, Kazakhstan. AFP

The Eiffel Tower in Paris is lit up in the colours of Ukrainian flag. EPA

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo speaks alongside the Ukrainian ambassador to France, Vadym Omelchenko, during the event. AFP

Watching video-mapping on the Czech Interior Ministry building, in Prague. EPA

A woman expresses her solidarity with Ukraine at the Czech National Theatre, in Prague. EPA

Activists place candles forming the peace sign in front of the Brandenburg Gate, in Berlin. AP

A police officer raises the Ukrainian flag in front of the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt in Magdeburg, Germany. AP

A Vilnius University building is illuminated in blue and yellow in support of Ukraine, in Vilnius, Lithuania. AP

Ukrainian flags placed over the graves of fallen Ukrainian soldiers in a military cemetery in Kharkiv, north-eastern Ukraine. EPA

A commemoration event with a light installation at the Field of Mars cemetery where hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers are buried, in Lviv, western Ukraine. Getty

Friends and relatives of fallen Ukrainian soldiers take part in a prayer as Rays of Memory illuminate the night sky over Lychakiv military cemetery in Lviv. EPA

Rays of memory illuminate the sky over Lychakiv military cemetery in Lviv. EPA

The National Opera of Ukraine building illuminated by Swiss artist Gerry Hofstetter in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, in Kyiv. Getty

A woman takes selfies in front of The National Opera of Ukraine, illuminated by Swiss artist Gerry Hofstetter. Getty

A candlelit vigil in front of the Russian consulate, in New York. Reuters

Candles lit outside the Russian consulate in New York during a vigil to commemorate children killed in Ukraine. AFP

A silent candlelit vigil in New York. Reuters

A Trafalgar Square vigil organised by the Ukrainian and US embassies in London. AP

A vigil for Ukraine at Trafalgar Square in London. Reuters

The Trafalgar Square vigil. Reuters

Crowds gather at Trafalgar Square. AP

The Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, addresses the London vigil. Reuters

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace speaks at the vigil. PA

Actress and activist Helen Mirren addresses the London vigil. PA

Teddy bears and other toys left by Ukrainian refugees and members of the Avaaz global activist network at Schuman Roundabout, in front of the European Commission, in Brussels. AP

The EU Council and Commission buildings illuminated in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. EPA

Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Andriy Pyshnyi holds banknotes marking the first anniversary of Russia's invasion on Ukraine, in Kyiv. Reuters

Supporters gather at St Mary's Cathedral Square during the 365 Days Strong rally and candlelight vigil in Sydney. Getty

France's ambassador to Ukrain Etienne de Poncins, left, and the French Culture Minister Rima Abdul-Malak visit Independence Square in central Kyiv. AFP