(Abdul–Rahman Oladimeji Bello, Headline USA) Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently mocked British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace for suggesting that the war-torn country should show more gratitude for Western support instead of treating its benefactors like “Amazon,” the National Pulse reported.
Zelenskyy’s comments come as NATO members—including the United States—are reportedly depleting their ammunition supplies to support the embattled Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.
On Tuesday, CNN reported that the U.S. was approaching the point where it could no longer supply Ukraine with weapons.
“There is a set level of munitions in U.S. stockpiles around the world, essentially an emergency reserve, that the military is not willing to part ways with,” CNN said, citing an unnamed Defense Department official. “The levels of those stockpiles are classified.”
Speaking at a news conference at NATO’s annual summit in Vilnius, Wallace suggested that Ukraine should show more appreciation for the Western support. He recalled an incident last year when he visited Ukraine only to be given a shopping list for new military aid.
“Whether we like it or not, people want to see a bit of gratitude,” Wallace said, according to the Telegraph. “You know, my counsel to the Ukrainians is sometimes: Look, you are persuading countries to give up their own stocks.”
Responding to Wallace’s remarks at a later press conference, Zelenskyy said: “Let him write to me [about] how else I should express my words of gratitude, or we could get up in the morning and express our words of gratitude to the minister.”
The comments came as Kyiv and Western powers debated whether NATO would grant Ukraine entry—a position that seems unlikely as it would draw other nations fully into the conflict with Russia and likely instigate World War III.
Though Zelenskyy declared the NATO summit a “meaningful success,” he had blasted the organization’s “absurd” failure to offer him a clear timeline for membership until “allies agree and conditions are met.”
Photos of the displeased-looking Ukrainian president, appearing out of place and underdressed at the summit, went viral on social media shortly after the event.
Volodymyr Zelensky on NATO Summit:
"Getting rejected here was truly a great experience… it really stands alone for me" pic.twitter.com/GXekCLVqGQ
— Gain of Fauci (@DschlopesIsBack) July 12, 2023