Ron Mark says $15m Ukraine weapons funding could be spent on ‘endless list’ of supplies

Former Defence Minister Ron Mark believes the $15 million of Government funding to supply Ukraine with weapons and equipment could be spent on an “endless list” of items.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins announced the contribution early this morning as part of a joint Nato and United States initiative.

“The defence of Ukraine has significant implications not only for the security of Europe, but also for the Indo-Pacific,” Peters said.

Collins said the challenge for Ukraine‘s armed forces to defend its territory “remains immense in the face of the ongoing and relentless bombardment” by Russian drones.

The money would be used only for the procurement of weapons or equipment that aligned with New Zealand’s international obligations and domestic policies, the Government said.

Mark, an army veteran, told Herald NOW’s Ryan Bridge that drones and vehicles were in high demand by Ukrainian forces.

Former Defence Minister Ron Mark says drones and vehicles are in high demand in Ukraine. Photo / Mark Mitchell

“They need vehicles, they need drones, they need a truckload of stuff, but even just money that will buy artillery shells, that alone helps.”

Mark said he hoped some of the money would be given to non-government organisations (NGOs) providing humanitarian work inside Ukraine.

The sum was not a large contribution compared to what Ukraine was spending every day and would be used “very, very quickly”.

He said he had been talking to people in the Government about providing surplus army vehicles.

“A whole bunch” of light armoured vehicles were made surplus after replacements, including Bushmasters, were bought when he was Defence Minister.

Speaking about New Zealand Defence Force recruitment, Mark said, “We’re bleeding the very people that we need to retain, the experienced people.”

A lack of experience was visible during his visits to Waiouru and Burnham military camps over the last few years.

“What I note is the number of people who are not wearing a rack of gongs on the left side of their shirt now, because a lot of those people have gone, and the top war fighters we had have gone.”

Both recruiting and retention needed to be addressed, and pay and conditions needed to be improved.

Successive Governments had been able to “whittle down” those factors without being challenged because of a lack of representation, he said.

“They don’t have ... people like the teachers’ unions and the medical unions who can all demonstrate and protest and riot in the streets for their second, third, or fourth pay rise.

“The military end up sucking it up.”

Falling behind in pay and conditions made jobs elsewhere more appealing for military personnel, he said.