The UK’s military funding for Ukraine this year will be increased to £2.5 billion, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged on Friday before signing a “historic” agreement on security cooperation in Kyiv.
The package for the financial year 2024/2025 is £200 million more than the previous two years, and at least £200 million will be spent on delivering a large consignment of “cutting edge, battle-tested” drones, Downing Street said.
The announcement came as Mr. Sunak was about to sign a bilateral agreement with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday, which will commit the UK to come to Ukraine’s aid if the east European country is attacked by Russia again in the future.
Mr. Sunak vowed that the UK will “not falter” in supporting Ukraine to repel Russia’s invasion.
The agreement between UK and Ukraine is “intended to be the first step in developing an unshakeable hundred-year partnership” between the two countries, Downing Street said.
The agreement will formalise support that the UK has been and will continue to provide for Ukraine’s security, including intelligence sharing, cyber security, medical and military training, and defence industrial cooperation, the statement said.
Under the agreement, if Russia attacks Ukraine again in the future, the UK will “consult with Ukraine” and provide “swift and sustained” assistance for their defence.
Downing Street said the UK is the first G7 country to deliver a final agreement.
The £2.5 billion military funding package will include long-range missiles, air defence, artillery ammunition and maritime security.
“Thousands” of military drones, including “surveillance, long-range strike, and sea drones,” will be procured and produced, most of which are expected to be made in the UK, Downing Street said.
“This will be the largest delivery of drones to Ukraine from any nation.”
Mr. Sunak is also expected to announce a further £18 million, including humanitarian funds to support the United Nations and Red Cross in Ukraine and £8 million to fortify Ukraine’s energy infrastructure against further Russian attacks.
The UK will also fund online English lessons for the Ukrainians, and the Ukrainian government has proposed legislation to promote English, Downing Street said.
The prime minister said the UK will continue to “stand with Ukraine.”
“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,” he said.
“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.”
However, the government has been questioned why it didn’t make a multi-year funding arrangement, which some argue would send a stronger signal of support.
Defending the package, Armed Forces minister James Heappey told BBC Radio 4’s “Today” programme that the aid packages do have longer-term effects.
“These capability coalitions, there are a number of them led by different countries, but the ones that the UK are leading is principally in the maritime domain,” he said.
“They are exactly the multi-year capability development programmes that give the Ukrainians that certainty around the development of their capabilities over the arc of a decade, and equally importantly, give [Russian President Vladimir] Putin the certainty that there is no loss in patience and commitment from their [Ukraine’s Western supporters.”
Mr. Heappey also said Labour, which has a good chance of replacing the Conservatives in government by the end of the year, “fully backs this new military funding for Ukraine—and has been pushing ministers since the autumn to confirm 2024 military funding.”
Speaking to broadcasters during a visit to a dental school in Bury, Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer said it’s “really important that we keep our focus on Ukraine.
“We have had cross-party support for Ukraine for a very long time and we need to maintain that in the face of Russian aggression that has been going on for a long time now, he said.
“So I’m supportive of what the prime minister is saying today, and we will remain united across our political parties in defence of Ukraine against that aggression from Putin.”
