The UK has announced an extra £1 billion in military support for Ukraine, nearly doubling its total military aid to £2.3 billion. The pledge was made by Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the NATO summit in Madrid, where he emphasised that the 'cost of freedom' is 'always worth paying for'. The UK has also provided £1.5 billion in humanitarian and economic assistance.
Johnson stated that without a successful outcome in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin would be emboldened to commit further aggression, leading to global instability. The Prime Minister also committed to increasing UK defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade, citing the need for long-term investment in a more dangerous world.
The new funding will be used for sophisticated air defence systems, drones, electronic warfare equipment, and thousands of other vital items. The money will come from departmental underspends, including £95 million from the Welsh and Scottish governments. The UK is second only to the US in military aid to Ukraine, with the US recently approving a $40 billion package.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged NATO leaders to do more, noting that Ukraine's monthly defence costs are around $5 billion. Despite the UK's contributions, Ukraine's deputy defence minister claimed the country has received only a tenth of the weapons it requested. The UK has had to source some equipment from third countries, indicating limited domestic stocks.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the UK's support would help Ukraine succeed, but acknowledged it is 'not a blank cheque'. The UK government described the aid as the first step in helping Ukraine recover lost territory, though questions remain about sufficiency.
