UK commits £1.6 billion for Ukrainian missile defense
London is set to provide Ukraine with an additional £1.6 billion (approximately €1.94 billion) for the procurement of British air defense missiles. This announcement was made by Prime Minister Keir Starmer following the Ukraine summit held in London on March 2.
According to Starmer, the new funds will be allocated as part of export financing, aimed at boosting British exports. With this financial backing, Ukraine will be able to procure over 5,000 anti-aircraft missiles, set to be produced at a factory in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Starmer highlighted that this initiative will not only create jobs in the UK but will also aid Ukraine in its defense efforts.
"This support will be crucial in defending critical infrastructure at this moment and will strengthen Ukraine’s efforts to secure peace when the time comes. We must learn from past mistakes—we cannot accept a weak agreement like the Minsk Accord, which Russia could easily breach," Starmer stated.
On March 1, the UK allocated £2.2 billion (€2.74 billion) to Ukraine in the form of a loan, to be repaid using profits from seized Russian assets.
Starmer further mentioned that European leaders at the London summit agreed to maintain military support for Kyiv and intensify economic pressure on Moscow. They also insisted that Ukraine must have a seat at the table in any peace negotiations.
The British Prime Minister pledged to "build a coalition of the willing to defend the Ukraine agreement and ensure peace." "The UK is ready to support this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, alongside others," Starmer stated, referring to the deployment of British peacekeepers in Ukraine, a topic he has mentioned multiple times before.