UK commits £100 million to boost Ukraine air defences over winter

Helen Corbett, Press Association Political Correspondent

The UK has committed £100 million to boost Ukraine’s air defences over winter with a package of military equipment Patriot missiles.

Defence interceptors, large-calibre artillery rounds and drones will be supplied to Ukraine through the contribution to Nato’s prioritised Ukraine requirements list.

It comes as Defence Secretary Wes Streeting is due to co-chair his first meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, made up of around 50 nations providing military kit to Kyiv, with German counterpart Boris Pistorius on Tuesday.

The UK recently agreed to declassify blueprints for British-made components for the Scalp missile, a French-produced version of the Storm Shadow, which has already been used to hit targets in Russia.

Mr Streeting said: “Both the Prime Minister and I heard loud and clear on our first visits to Kyiv the importance of supporting Ukraine through this winter, as Putin prepares to use winter as a weapon by continuing barbaric attacks against civilian and energy targets.

“We promised to mobilise allies and provide more support wherever we can. Today, we are delivering on that, strengthening Ukraine’s defences and, alongside 50 allies, converting commitment into capability.

“We will stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine until they win. Ukraine’s frontline is the frontline for freedom everywhere and our support will not waver.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham spoke to US President Donald Trump about the Ukraine war on Monday, with the two agreeing on the need to “continue working towards a ceasefire that prevented more loss of life”.

US envoys held talks in Kyiv on Sunday during an official visit to the country as part of an effort to end the conflict with Russia.

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.