UK Announce New £2.5 Billion Aid Package for Ukraine
The British Prime Minister has announced a new major £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) aid package for Ukraine while visiting the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. The package and fresh agreement reaffirms the UK’s commitment to the region. The new aid package will pay for new long range missiles, air defenses and artillery shells among other vital war materiel. The deal also includes £18 million set aside for humanitarian aid.
Rishi Sunak spoke on the aid when visiting Kyiv on Friday January 12:
‘I am here today with one message: the UK will also not falter. We will stand with Ukraine, in their darkest hours and in the better times to come…The UK is already one of Ukraine’s closest partners, because we recognise their security is our security. Today we are going further – increasing our military aid, delivering thousands of cutting-edge drones, and signing a historic new Security Agreement to provide Ukraine with the assurances it needs for the long term.’
£200 million will be spent on producing a large number of new drones for Ukraine, with the nation receiving the largest delivery of drones from any nation since the start of the war in 2022. With Drone warfare becoming a key strategy for both sides of the fighting. The deal adds to the £12 billion already provided to Ukraine by the UK, alongside the ongoing training of Ukrainian personnel within the UK under Operation Orbital. Sunak also commented on Ukraines determination against Russian aggression:
‘For two years, Ukraine has fought with great courage to repel a brutal Russian invasion. They are still fighting, unfaltering in their determination to defend their country and defend the principles of freedom and democracy.’
On top of the monetary aid both nations are set to sign a agreement on security cooperation following a NATO summit in Vilnius last year. The UK being the first nation to make good on the agreement. The agreement covers maritime security, aid and defense industry cooperation. The UK is seeking to bolster the resolve of Ukraine in the wake of their counter-attack in the later half of 2022 which only saw limited success.