Britain gives £500m bumper aid package of drones, ammo and missiles to Ukraine ahead of ‘difficult summer’
22 April 2024, 23:41
Britain will give Ukraine a fresh £500million funding package, Rishi Sunak is to announce on Tuesday.
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The Prime Minister is jetting off to Poland on Tuesday where he will announce a new chunk of cash and kit to be sent to the war-torn nation – and warn that Putin won’t stop there.
It comes just days after the US finally approved a bumper package of aid for Ukraine to help them fight back against Putin’s evil forces.
The Prime Minister will hail the boost on Tuesday as the largest ever package of physical aid – which will include a whopping four million rounds of ammo.
Mr Sunak will meet with Poland’s prime minister Donald Turk and the NATO general secretary in Warsaw as he seeks to boost security and defence ties on the continent. He will then jet off to Berlin to meet with the German chancellor Olaf Scholtz.
It comes amid warnings from top armed forces brass that Britain is failing to spend enough money on defence as the threats to Britain grow around the world.
The extra cash will be new money, not part of the current Ministry of Defence Budget, government sources insisted.
Sam Kiley on Ukraine aid package
Last week former defence secretary Ben Wallace insisted that reports of one-off uplift of £500m on Britain’s defences wouldn’t touch the sides, describing it as a “gimmick”.
He has called on ministers to promise to reach spending 2.5per cent of GDP on defence as soon as possible.
The Primer Minister will also announce the largest ever single package of equipment sent to Ukraine from the UK to date to help them fight back.
A No10 spokesperson said it would be a “difficult summer” for Ukraine.
They added: “The UK continues to play a central role in European defence and security in the face of growing threats and an expansionist Russia.
“Defending Ukraine’s survival as a sovereign democratic nation is vital for Ukraine’s security, and for the whole of Europe.
“If Putin is allowed to succeed in his war of aggression, he will not stop at the Polish border.”
The aid package will include 60 boats, maritime guns, more than 1,600 defence missiles, more storm shadow long range missiles, and more than 400 desperately needed vehicles.
The UK was one of the first to send Ukraine top of the range NLAW missiles and modern tanks.
The Prime Minister will also offer an RAF squadron to carry out a NATO air policing mission over Poland next year.
