Grant Shapps has been appointed as the new Minister of Defence for the UK, replacing Ben Wallace. Shapps is a long-serving Conservative MP and an experienced manager but lacks military service experience or work in the defence sector. He previously worked as a Secretary of State for Transport.

The resignation of Ben Wallace and the appointment of Grant Shapps are not directly linked to Wallace's statements of gratitude towards Ukraine, which drew attention at the time. This story did not have any significant long-term impact on British politics.

You can read more about Wallace's resignation and British military support for Ukraine in the article by European Pravda journalist Oleh Pavliuk The Minister Who Sheltered Family from Ukraine: Who Is Grant Shapps, New Head of the UK Defence Ministry.

However, Ben Wallace's resignation as the Defence Minister was not unexpected and became known shortly after the NATO summit in Vilnius in July. Wallace confirmed that he had asked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for permission to step down.

Wallace did not disclose the reasons for his decision, but the context provides some insights. Firstly, Ben Wallace actively participated in a non-public competition for the position of NATO Secretary-General, but his appointment was blocked by US President Joe Biden, which may not have been pleasant for him.

Another factor is the long-planned reshuffle of the British government ahead of the general elections scheduled for the following year.

Therefore, the Ministry of Defence in the UK will now be headed by Grant Shapps, a 54-year-old veteran MP who has been a member of the House of Commons since 2005 and has extensive experience in government roles. Shapps first became a minister in 2010 and has held various ministerial positions, including Minister for International Development (now part of the Foreign Office), Minister of State for Transport, and even briefly Minister for the Cabinet Office. In 2023, he worked for a few months as the head of the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy before moving to the Ministry of Defence.

Grant Shapps does not have a military background. British commentators suggest that his appointment as Defence Secretary is more of a loyalty gesture to Prime Minister Sunak. Sunak appointed someone he trusts to such a crucial position in current times.

However, this also means that the new minister may not have the same authority and independence in determining defense policy as Wallace did. Sources in the British military sphere are concerned that Shapps, in particular, may struggle to continue Wallace's policy of increasing the defense budget in the face of inflation.

Nevertheless, British journalists acknowledge that the new Defence Secretary has at least one crucial advantage – a good understanding of logistics. In addition, Grant Shapps is an experienced manager and communicator, qualities often considered more important for a minister than military experience and knowledge.

Furthermore, Shapps has a reasonable understanding of Ukrainian issues. In his first statement after his appointment, Shapps acknowledged Ben Wallace's contribution to defence and global security and pledged to "continue the UK's support for Ukraine in their fight against Putin's barbaric invasion."

Much of the West's initiative to provide Ukraine with new types of weapons, from Challenger tanks to long-range Storm Shadow missiles, was linked to Wallace.

However, specific actions are yet to be seen. The new Defence Secretary faces a challenging task: he must persuade other Western allies not only to maintain but also to increase their assistance to Ukraine.

Whether the new UK Defence Minister will succeed in this and convince Prime Minister Sunak to join this lobbying effort remains an open question.