Britain’s Wallace calls Ukraine war a ‘wakeup call’ for NATO
WARSAW, Poland -- Britain's defense secretary said Tuesday that Russia's war on Ukraine has been a “wake-up call” for NATO members, making them realize that their militaries need to be better and invest more in defense.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said many nations in Europe had become complacent after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin has become “in a sense, a gift to NATO.”
He spoke during a panel discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum, a two-day gathering of trans-Atlantic leaders, security and defense experts.
Conference attendees included Ukraine's first lady, Olena Zelenska, who thanked Poland and other allies for their support of her country.
Wallace described Putin as a “pantomime villain” who “reminded us that there really i...