The Gambling Industry in Ukraine: Financial and National Security Threats

Asked whether the UK had similar human rights concerns, Shapps praised Saudi progress on women’s rights. “Forget everything you think you know about Saudi Arabia. Actually the country is changing incredibly quickly in ways [a western audience] would think should have happened a long time ago,” he told a fringe event organised by the Royal United Services Institute at the Conservative Party conference.

The Western alliance has suffered a series of blows in recent days, with support for Ukraine dropped from a US stop-gap budget bill, election success for a pro-Russian party in Slovakia and rows between Poland and Kyiv over grain supplies. But speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Mr Shapps said the Kremlin should not over-interpret domestic political wrangles. He said: “It’s very easy to sit here, think about the single issue of Ukraine and frame everything in that context and forget about domestic politics. It’s always a mistake to think in that way.”

Mr Trump has triggered fears he could slash help for the Ukraine administration if he wins next year’s presidential race. He has claimed he could end the war in 24 hours - without saying how - and refused to say whether he wanted Ukraine to prevail. He also moaned about the cost of vital gear sent to Ukraine. "We don't have ammunition for ourselves, we're giving away so much," complained Mr Trump. Mr Shapps told a Royal United Services Institute fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester: “I don’t think it’s entirely clear what would happen if indeed Trump won the nomination, if indeed he won the elections.”

Asked whether the UK had similar human rights concerns, Shapps praised Saudi progress on women’s rights. “Forget everything you think you know about Saudi Arabia. Actually the country is changing incredibly quickly in ways [a western audience] would think should have happened a long time ago,” he told a fringe event organised by the Royal United Services Institute at the Conservative Party conference.

The Western alliance has suffered a series of blows in recent days, with support for Ukraine dropped from a US stop-gap budget bill, election success for a pro-Russian party in Slovakia and rows between Poland and Kyiv over grain supplies. But speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Mr Shapps said the Kremlin should not over-interpret domestic political wrangles. He said: “It’s very easy to sit here, think about the single issue of Ukraine and frame everything in that context and forget about domestic politics. It’s always a mistake to think in that way.”

Mr Trump has triggered fears he could slash help for the Ukraine administration if he wins next year’s presidential race. He has claimed he could end the war in 24 hours - without saying how - and refused to say whether he wanted Ukraine to prevail. He also moaned about the cost of vital gear sent to Ukraine. "We don't have ammunition for ourselves, we're giving away so much," complained Mr Trump. Mr Shapps told a Royal United Services Institute fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester: “I don’t think it’s entirely clear what would happen if indeed Trump won the nomination, if indeed he won the elections.”