The United Kingdom has pledged £2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine in the coming year, the largest annual commitment from the UK since Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his visit to Kyiv, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and signed a new agreement between the two countries. Sunak stated that Ukraine “will never be alone,” adding that if Russian President Vladimir Putin “wins in Ukraine, he will not stop there.”
The military aid package will include long-range missiles, air defense, and artillery shells, with £200 million allocated for drones. In addition, £18 million will be provided for humanitarian aid, assistance in fortifying Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and funding to improve online English language training. Notably, the prime minister chose not to make a financial commitment lasting several years, despite pressure from some ministers and senior military figures. Instead, he decided to spend £200 million more than the amount provided in the last two years, stating that the new support will mark “an unshakeable hundred-year partnership between Ukraine and the UK.”
During his visit, Sunak met with emergency services and residents of Kyiv and visited wounded war veterans at a hospital. The visit comes amid continued fighting between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, and as the United States and European Union struggle to agree on their own packages of support for Ukraine. The US has faced opposition from Republicans blocking a $60 billion package of support, while Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, has blocked a €50bn package in a funding row with Brussels.
The UK’s commitment is intended to deter Russian aggression in the region before Ukraine joins NATO, with officials stating that the UK is the first G7 country to sign such a pact. Armed Forces Minister James Heappey noted that the drones provided in the package will give Ukraine a significant advantage in the coming years, stating, “They are drones that are being developed at pace, learning all of the lessons from what we’ve seen in Ukraine over the last two years.”
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More