UK pledges hundreds of army drones for Ukraine in ‘historic’ safety deal | EUROtoday
Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now.
Visiting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday introduced £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) in new army assist for Ukraine, saying it despatched a “strong signal” of UK assist for the war-torn nation.
Issued on:
2 min
The funding bundle for the approaching 12 months is £200 million larger than the £2.3 billion pledged per 12 months in each 2022 and 2023.
It will make sure the “largest ever commitment of drones”, Sunak’s workplace stated in a press release.
The UK prime minister stated the help was designed “to send a strong signal of support to the Ukrainian people”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin “needs to recognise we’re not going anywhere”, he added.
“I’m here with one clear message: the United Kingdom stands with Ukraine,” he stated after touring broken buildings within the Ukrainian capital.
Sunak met emergency service staff responding to the aftermath of Russian air strikes and praised Ukrainians’ “great courage”.
The British chief was set to signal a “historic” safety cooperation pact with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky whereas in Kyiv, his workplace stated.
The “totemic agreement” needs to be step one in direction of an “unshakeable hundred-year partnership”, it added.
‘Seriousness of the state of affairs’
At least £200 million of the newest assist bundle is to be spent on “a major push to rapidly procure and produce thousands of military drones for Ukraine, including surveillance, long-range strike and sea drones”.
Sunak stated the help at the moment in place was as a result of run by to the “early part of this year”.
“So we’re acting in advance of that expiring with a new commitment of two and a half billion pounds – more than we’ve provided in previous years,” he advised reporters.
“That represents the seriousness of the situation here and our determination to stand with Ukraine,” he added.
The newest dedication takes the UK’s general assist for Ukraine’s conflict efforts to virtually £12 billion.
The tools already equipped to Kyiv contains Storm Shadow cruise missiles and a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron vowed, throughout a shock go to to Kyiv in November, to take care of army assist for Ukraine.
Zelensky stated on the time that the circulation of significant artillery ammunition from Western allies had dropped because the begin of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in October.
“We will continue to give you the moral support, diplomatic support, the economic support, but above all, the military support, that you need not just this year, and next year, but for however long it takes,” Cameron stated throughout a gathering with Zelensky in November.
A prime Ukrainian commander lately described the conflict as a stalemate, with no clear signal of a breakthrough on the entrance traces.
(AFP)
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240112-uk-pledges-thousands-of-military-drones-for-ukraine-in-historic-security-deal