UK defense chief Ben Wallace announces plans to step down: report

United Kingdom Defense Secretary Ben Wallace announced on Saturday that he will step down from his position after about four years in the role. 

Wallace told the British newspaper The Sunday Times in an interview that he notified U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about his plans last month, and a reshuffling of Sunak’s Cabinet is expected in September. 

“I’m not standing next time,” he said. 

Wallace told the outlet that he was leaving his position because of its effect on his family. 

The defense chief has served in his post under prime ministers Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak and has led the country’s military through the war between Russia and Ukraine since last February. The UK and other Western allies of Ukraine have sent the country widespread financial, logistical and military support to defend itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion. 

The announcement comes after Wallace faced some controversy over comments he made calling on Ukraine to show more gratitude for the support that its allies have provided. 

“I told them that last June. I said to the Ukrainians, when I drove 11 hours to be given a list: ‘I’m not Amazon,’” he said, referring to the online retailer. 

A spokesperson for Sunak said after Wallace’s remarks that the U.K. government and people are remaining committed to their support for Ukraine and that they have repeatedly heard from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about his gratitude for the aid. 

Wallace was considered a possible choice to become the next secretary-general of NATO, but he said last month that he was not going to take the role. Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg had his term extended another year into 2024 earlier this month. 

The BBC reported that Wallace has served as defense secretary longer than any member of the Conservative Party before him.