- UK-led International Fund for Ukraine secures over £2 billion
funding with contributions from over 10 countries.
- Funding initiative has delivered thousands of drones,
missiles, and radars for Ukraine – with more to come
- Defence Secretary hosts NATO Secretary General
and Ukrainian and German Defence Ministers at the Ministry of
Defence in London as part of the latest meeting of 50-nation
group driving military support for Ukraine.
More than £2 billion of military support for Ukraine has now been
secured through the UK-led international fund for priority
military equipment to support the most urgent requirements of
Ukraine's Armed Forces.
It comes as the Defence Secretary hosted NATO Secretary General,
Mark Rutte, along with Ukraine's Minister of Defence, Denys
Shmyhal, and Germany's Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius, for
the 30th meeting of the 50-nation strong Ukraine Defence Contact
Group dedicated to providing military support to Ukraine. This
follows the Defence Secretary's fifth visit to Ukraine last week
where he chaired a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing
Defence Ministers from Kyiv.
As Russia's war in Ukraine intensifies – with the largest wave of
Russian air strikes on Ukraine over the weekend since the illegal
invasion began - the Defence Secretary said that Putin's attacks
were only strengthening nations' unity for Ukraine and said that
countries must “go further and go faster” in surging the right
support into the hands of Ukrainian fighters.
Defence Secretary, MP, said:
“Putin is escalating his attacks on Ukraine, so we must go
further and go faster to surge vital military kit into the hands
of Ukraine's war fighters.
“After my fifth visit to Ukraine last week, it was a pleasure to
host Minister Shmyhal, Minister Pistorius, and NATO's Secretary
General at the Ministry of Defence in London for the 50-nation
strong Ukraine Defence Contact Group. We see Putin's aggression
increasing, but this only strengthens our unity and our
determination to step up military support for Ukraine.
“This £2 billion funding milestone from the UK-led International
Fund for Ukraine is symbolic of unity, with 11 countries working
together with the UK to ensure Ukraine receives the urgent
support it needs to fight today, while the countries of the
Coalition of the Willing continue work towards securing a just
and lasting peace in the future.”
The Defence Secretary announced that the UK-led International
Fund for Ukraine (IFU) has delivered equipment including more
than 1,000 air defence systems, more than 600 uncrewed aerial
systems, electronic warfare systems, and air defence radars –
with further deliveries due in the coming weeks.
Deliveries over the summer focused on equipment including
tactical boats to help build up Ukraine's maritime forces to
defend coastal and inland waterways, along with more air defence
radars and vital artillery ammunition for the frontline.
Supporting Ukraine's defence benefits wider European security,
reducing economic uncertainty and supporting the Government's
Plan for Change.
One-way attack drones also continue to be vital for Ukraine's
defence. Over the next 12 months, the UK will fund the delivery
of thousands of long-range one-way attack drones, built in the
UK, and supporting our 100-year partnership with Ukraine.
The Defence Secretary will then host Defence Ministers from
France, Germany, Italy, and Poland tomorrow (10 September) in
London for the next meeting of the E5 group of countries, with
Ukraine's Minister of Defence also due to attend. Discussions
will focus on the situation in Ukraine, wider European security
developments, nuclear cooperation, and investment in vital
European defence industry.
The International Fund for Ukraine is administered and led by the
UK Ministry of Defence to procure equipment using funds provided
by Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Lithuania, the
Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, and the UK.
Both the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary have been clear
that the UK's national security – the foundation of the
Government's Plan for Change – starts in Ukraine. The UK remains
committed to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, with
£4.5 billion being spent on military support to Ukraine this year
– the UK's highest ever level.
