UK To Provide £450M Military Aid for Ukraine
The UK has announced a £450 million military aid package for Ukraine as part of an international push to strengthen Kyiv’s defenses and pressure Vladimir Putin into ending the war. Defence Secretary John Healey, co-chairing the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels with his German counterpart, said the support aims to put Ukraine “in the strongest possible position” as talks about a lasting peace continue. Of the package, £350 million comes directly from the UK, with additional funding provided by Norway through the UK-led International Fund for Ukraine.
The aid includes hundreds of thousands of drones, anti-tank mines, radar systems, and a £160 million investment to repair and maintain previously supplied equipment. Much of the new support will be sourced from both UK and Ukrainian suppliers, creating opportunities for job growth and cooperation between the countries’ defense industries. The drone component—featuring first-person view and explosive-carrying models—has reportedly accounted for up to 70% of the damage to Russian equipment on the battlefield.
Healey also led discussions with 30 countries in a separate meeting of the "coalition of the willing," a UK and French-led initiative planning for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine should a ceasefire be reached. With the US stepping back from its traditional leadership role in European security, the UK has taken a more central position. Meanwhile, the conflict on the ground is intensifying, with a rise in Russian assaults and continued drone attacks on both sides of the border.
