More than £2 billion of military support for Ukraine has now been secured through the UK-led international fund for priority military equipment to support the most urgent requirements of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
It comes as the Defence Secretary hosted NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, along with Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Denys Shmyhal, and Germany’s Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius, for the 30th meeting of the 50-nation strong Ukraine Defence Contact Group dedicated to providing military support to Ukraine. This follows the Defence Secretary’s fifth visit to Ukraine last week where he chaired a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing Defence Ministers from Kyiv.
As Russia’s war in Ukraine intensifies – with the largest wave of Russian air strikes on Ukraine over the weekend since the illegal invasion began – the Defence Secretary said that Putin’s attacks were only strengthening nations’ unity for Ukraine and said that countries must “go further and go faster” in surging the right support into the hands of Ukrainian fighters.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said
Putin is escalating his attacks on Ukraine, so we must go further and go faster to surge vital military kit into the hands of Ukraine’s war fighters.
After my fifth visit to Ukraine last week, it was a pleasure to host Minister Shmyhal, Minister Pistorius, and NATO’s Secretary General at the Ministry of Defence in London for the 50-nation strong Ukraine Defence Contact Group. We see Putin’s aggression increasing, but this only strengthens our unity and our determination to step up military support for Ukraine.
This £2 billion funding milestone from the UK-led International Fund for Ukraine is symbolic of unity, with 11 countries working together with the UK to ensure Ukraine receives the urgent support it needs to fight today, while the countries of the Coalition of the Willing continue work towards securing a just and lasting peace in the future.
The Defence Secretary announced that the UK-led International Fund for Ukraine (IFU) has delivered equipment including more than 1,000 air defence systems, more than 600 uncrewed aerial systems, electronic warfare systems, and air defence radars – with further deliveries due in the coming weeks.
Deliveries over the summer focused on equipment including tactical boats to help build up Ukraine’s maritime forces to defend coastal and inland waterways, along with more air defence radars and vital artillery ammunition for the frontline. Supporting Ukraine’s defence benefits wider European security, reducing economic uncertainty and supporting the Government’s Plan for Change.
One-way attack drones also continue to be vital for Ukraine’s defence. Over the next 12 months, the UK will fund the delivery of thousands of long-range one-way attack drones, built in the UK, and supporting our 100-year partnership with Ukraine.
The Defence Secretary will then host Defence Ministers from France, Germany, Italy, and Poland tomorrow (10 September) in London for the next meeting of the E5 group of countries, with Ukraine’s Minister of Defence also due to attend. Discussions will focus on the situation in Ukraine, wider European security developments, nuclear cooperation, and investment in vital European defence industry.
The International Fund for Ukraine is administered and led by the UK Ministry of Defence to procure equipment using funds provided by Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, and the UK.
Both the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary have been clear that the UK’s national security – the foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change – starts in Ukraine. The UK remains committed to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, with £4.5 billion being spent on military support to Ukraine this year – the UK’s highest ever level.
