According to Shapps, London “has been able to up its aid to Ukraine to £3 billion ($3.8 billion) this year.”…reports Asian Lite News
Britain has sent 80 air defense missiles to Ukraine since the beginning of May and another 20 are to be delivered by June, the British tabloid The Sun wrote on May 19, citing Defense Minister Grant Shapps.
He urged allies to speed up military assistance to Kyiv amid Russia’s offensive in Kharkiv Oblast and help arm Ukraine to avoid the “biggest threat” to world order this century. “Last week’s events should serve as a wake-up call to the West,” he said.
“Warm words are not enough. Every nation that values their freedom must step-up and provide what they can, as quickly as they can, to ensure the Ukrainian Armed Forces can fight off the illegal invasion.”
According to Shapps, London “has been able to up its aid to Ukraine to £3 billion ($3.8 billion) this year.”
On April 23, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the allocation of the largest aid package to Ukraine in history from the United Kingdom, totaling over half a billion pounds sterling ($600 million), including 60 boats, over 1600 strike and anti-aircraft missiles, additional long-range Storm Shadow missiles, and over 400 units of various equipment.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with British Secretary of State for Defense Grant Shapps in Kyiv on March 7, 2024. Among other things, they discussed the establishment of joint weapons production.
The Telegraph reported in February 2023 that senior British defense industry officials were discussing the possibility of arms production in Ukraine. British managers visited Ukraine to establish joint ventures that would produce weapons and equipment under license.
London also sent Kyiv more than 30 pallets of parts, including anti-mine equipment, over a million rounds of small arms ammunition, 20 Viking armored amphibious vehicles, and over 4,000 items of military clothing.
Shapps added that in 2024, the total amount of aid provided to Ukraine from the U.K. will be worth 3 billion pounds (around $3,8 billion).
“We are committed to reaching 2.5% of GDP on Defense by 2030, and this is the first down payment,” Shapps said.
The U.K. has consistently voiced strong support for Ukraine, alongside the U.S. and Germany.
The country has pledged 12.5 billion pounds ($15.6 billion) in support to Ukraine since February 2022, of which 7.6 billion pounds ($9.5 billion) is for military assistance.
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