MoD says support for Ukraine should be in line with their expectations

Poland’s defence minister has called for support for Ukraine to be coordinated so that it meets the expectations of the Eastern European country.

Speaking after the first day of talks with Nato defence ministers in Brussels, in which Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov also took part, Mariusz Blaszczak said support for Ukraine had to "make sense."

"It's about coordinating activity so that support for Ukraine is delivered in response to Ukrainian expectations, so it makes sense," Blaszczak said.

"We cannot allow the war to spread further and we are supporting Ukraine so it can repel an invasion," he continued.

"From the Polish perspective, an independent Ukraine means an independent Poland," he said. "Our aim is for our south-eastern border to be with Ukraine, not with Russia. We are all aware that if Russia conquers Ukraine it will not stop but will go further because the Kremlin's aim is to rebuild its empire."

He said the Russian Empire had threatened and still threatened European countries, hence Russia's aggression had to be countered.

"We are dealing with activities that are war crimes by nature, committed by Russia on the territory of Ukraine," Blaszczak continued.

The talks in Brussels, he explained, had also touched on "filling the gaps" in the military equipment of countries that are sending supplies to Ukraine.

"Poland is one of the countries that is making the biggest contribution to supporting Ukraine, as Minister Reznikov underlined," Blaszczak went on. "We can be proud that Ukrainians, who are so bravely fighting for their freedom, are being supported by Poland, Nato countries and countries cooperating with us."