Defence secretary Ben Wallace’s dramatic response to plea by Ukraine’s first lady

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Britain will back Ukraine “every way we can” until the war is over, Ben Wallace said. His comments follow a heartfelt call from Olena Zelenska, in an exclusive interview with Independent TV, to other nations, in which she said: “Please don’t get fatigued, because we as Ukrainians have no right to get tired.” open image in gallery Defence secretary Ben Wallace said the UK’s support for Ukraine is ‘tireless’ Speaking from the presidential palace in Kyiv, she warned that Russian victory was “the worst-case scenario for all humanity”, as it would mean “global deterrents aren’t working … that anyone with power, strength and sufficient financial capacity can do whatever they want.” In response, Mr Wallace promised the UK would support Ukraine “to the end”. And we will continue to be, as I have often said publicly, to the end.” Mr Wallace, who has personally met Ms Zelenska on a number of occasions, added: “And we will continue to support them in every way we can, both with gifting finance and advice, as well as partnership.” In the more than 500 days since Russia’s invasion, untold numbers of Ukraine’s citizens have died, while others have been subject to abduction, rape and torture. “We really hope that somehow all this will change and we will be able to live a more or less normal family life.” open image in gallery Defence Secretary Ben Wallace speaks during a United with Ukraine vigil in Trafalgar Square Mr Wallace was criticised last month after he cautioned that “whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude” from the Ukrainians for the support they have received during the war.