- The UK commits £100 million to air defence package including
Patriot missiles to help Ukraine defend against Putin's attacks.
- Defence Secretary chairs his first Ukraine Defence Contact
Group, the 50-nation strong group providing military kit for
Ukraine.
- Builds on recent UK backing of Ukraine's domestic production
of long-range missiles and landmark AI deal to boost military
capabilities.
The UK will supply air defence interceptors, large-calibre
artillery rounds and drones to help Ukraine defend itself against
barbaric Russian attacks this winter, as part of Britain's
commitment to help Ukraine defend its freedom and sovereignty.
Through a £100 million contribution to NATO's Prioritised Ukraine
Requirements List (PURL) the UK will support Ukraine with Patriot
missiles and other air defence equipment that will be delivered
before the winter, helping Ukraine defend its critical national
infrastructure, innocent civilians and armed forces from Russian
attacks. This follows the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary's
visits to Kyiv, where they heard from President Zelenskyy on
the importance of additional support going into the winter.
Britain's commitment to provide over 120,000 drones to Ukraine
this year continues, with 25,000 delivered to date, a figure set
to ramp up ahead of the winter. These include interceptors that
take out Russian drones, reconnaissance drones that enable the
Armed Forces of Ukraine to see what is happening on the
battlefield and behind enemy lines, as well as attack drones that
help Ukraine take the fight to Russia.
This comes as military support for Ukraine reaches another
milestone, with the UK recently delivering its millionth round of
large-calibre artillery ammunition to Ukraine, vital to its
defence against Putin's war. Building on this, the UK will
deliver tens of thousands of long-range artillery rounds in the
coming months with funding from Britain, Germany, Denmark,
Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
Defence Secretary MP 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.
This military support follows the Prime Minister's announcement
that the UK has agreed that defence firm MBDA can release
classified information on UK components for the long-range
missile, SCALP, also known as Storm Shadow, to establish local
assembly lines in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister recently travelled to Kyiv to meet President
Zelenskyy and sign a landmark AI deal that will see the two
countries join forces to develop new military capabilities and
the technology of the future.
Today's Ukraine Defence Contact Group co-chaired by the Defence
Secretary and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius, brings
together nearly 50 nations. Taking place for the 36th time,
it focuses on Ukraine's urgent battlefield requirements and helps
to sustain long-term military support for Ukraine.
