The international community cannot waver in the face of
relentless Russian aggression, the Prime Minister will tell NATO
today as he doubles down on the UK's £3 billion per year package
of military funding for as long as needed.
The confirmation of the UK's multi-year £3 billion military
funding package for Ukraine comes after President Putin unleashed
a string of sickening attacks this week, including a
devastating attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv.
The Prime Minister will tell NATO leaders that President Putin's
depraved acts will only serve to steel the international
community's resolve to support Ukraine.
As well as ensuring Ukraine has the financial support it needs to
plan and fuel its defence against Russian forces, the UK will
deliver a new package of artillery and 90 Brimstone missiles
in the coming weeks.
The commitment was made by the Defence Secretary after he
travelled to Ukraine - at the request of the Prime Minister - on
his first full day in the office.
The UK has also confirmed today it will contribute £40 million to
NATO's Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine. The UK is
the third largest donor to the Package, ensuring Ukraine can
access vital assistance in key areas including counter drone
protection, demining of recaptured land and medical
rehabilitation of its injured military personnel.
In addition, the UK-administered International Fund for Ukraine
will place a new order, worth £300million, for 120,000 rounds of
152mm soviet-era ammunition bolstering Ukraine's defences against
Russia.
Speaking to President Zelenskyy in their first official bilateral
today, the Prime Minister underscored that Ukraine is on an
irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including
NATO.
Tomorrow morning [THURSDAY], the Prime Minister will tell NATO
allies during a special session on Ukraine that the alliance must
follow in the footsteps of its founders and stand up for the
values the international community holds so dear.
He will also warn that the frontline defence of the Euro-Atlantic
region is the Ukrainian trenches.
He will say:
“NATO was founded by the generation who defeated fascism.
They understood not just the value of our strength, but the
strength of our values.
“Those values are under attack once again. Putin needs to
hear a clear message ringing out from this summit – a message of
unity and determination, that we will support Ukraine with
whatever it takes, for as long as it takes to uphold our shared
values and our shared security. “
The UK has delivered almost £12.5bn in military, humanitarian and
economic support for Ukraine since Russia's illegal and
miscalculated full scale invasion in February 2022.
This year alone, the UK has committed 200 new air defence
missiles, more than £300m worth of advanced drones and 50 new
sanctions to suffocate profit streams fuelling Putin's war
machine.
Since the launch of Putin's assault, the Ministry of Defence
estimates that more than 500,000 Russian soldiers have been
killed or injured in pursuit of his pointless ambitions.
