"We have depleted our own stocks in order to do that," Pollard was quoted as saying by The Times on the sidelines of a Labour conference, adding that national stockpiles were so "threadbare" that the government had to cut supplies to Kiev in mid-2023.
Despite the fact that the UK’s own stockpiles are critically low, Pollard argued that it was the "right thing" to supply Ukraine with as many weapons as possible. He said that the Labour government not only needed to replenish the depleted stockpiles but also to ensure reliable supplies for Ukraine.
"I think most western nations have gifted most of the deployable resources they have … so we are seeing a greater trading relationship being formed," Pollard added.
Russia has continuously warned that arms supplies to Ukraine hinder the peace process and make NATO members party to the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will be a legitimate target for Russian strikes.