The Chancellor today confirms £1.3 billion to meet the
ongoing costs of military support to Ukraine during this
financial year.
This is the highest rate of UK military spending on a conflict,
since the height of the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan when
43,000 UK troops were deployed, and the sum spent supporting
Ukraine continues to rise as the conflict endures.
The announcement comes as the Prime Minister and other G7 leaders
meet virtually with President Zelenskyy today [Sunday], to mark
VE day and discuss support for Ukraine’s long-term future as a
sovereign and democratic country, including defensive lethal aid.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister announced £300 million for
electronic warfare equipment, a counter battery radar system, GPS
jamming equipment and thousands of night vision devices – this
will be funded from the £1.3bn increase.
This announcement will also help support the thriving defence
industry in the UK. The Prime Minister and Defence
Secretary will host a meeting of leading defence
companies later this month to discuss ramping up production
in response to increased demand created by the conflict in
Ukraine and a global shift away from Russian-made weaponry.
Prime Minister said:
“Putin’s brutal attack is not only causing untold devastation in
Ukraine – it is also threatening peace and security across
Europe.
“The UK was the first country to recognise the scale of the
threat and send arms to help the Ukrainians defend themselves. We
will stand by that endeavour, working with our allies to ensure
Ukraine can continue to push back the Russian invasion and
survive as a free and democratic country.
“In the process, we are bolstering our own security and economy,
turbocharging the development and production of cutting-edge
defence equipment here in the UK.”
Chancellor said:
“The situation in Ukraine continues to cause immense suffering
with every day bringing new, tragic stories of Putin’s brutality.
“We are unwavering in our support for the people of Ukraine – and
this extra £1.3 billion will ensure we continue to provide the
necessary military and operational support they need to defend
themselves against Putin.
“The UK is at the forefront providing economic, humanitarian and
defensive support to Ukraine and we are working tirelessly to
bring an end to this conflict.”
The additional £1.3 billion comes from the Reserve - funds the UK
Government has set aside for the most pressing emergencies. This
latest commitment, announced by the Chancellor today, is in addition to the
UK’s current package that totals well over £1.5billion. The
support already provided includes around £400million in
humanitarian aid and grants and unlocking over £700m in
additional World Bank lending through loan
guarantees.
The UK government is also supporting Ukrainian refugees fleeing
the crisis through the Homes for Ukraine and Ukraine Family
Scheme. So far more than 86,000 people have been given visas
through the scheme, and more than 27,000 have already arrived in
the UK.
The Integrated Review of Foreign and Defence policy resulted in
the largest boost to defence in a generation, with an additional
£24billion allocated over four years to allow our armed forces to
undertake a modernisation programme to reflect a rapidly changing
world with emerging threats.
