The British government announced at a NATO summit in Madrid on Wednesday that it would release £1 billion (€1.16 billion) in additional aid, including anti-aircraft systems and drones, to help Ukraine respond to the Russian invasion. Those new funds will bring British military aid to Kyiv to £2.3 billion, Downing Street said in a statement, calling the significant increase a “new phase” of Western support that should allow the Ukrainian army to launch counter-offensives.
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“As Putin does not achieve the achievements he planned and hoped for, and the futility of this war becomes clear to all, his attacks on the Ukrainian people will become increasingly barbaric,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is quoted as saying in the press release. “British weapons, equipment and formations are transforming Ukraine’s defenses against this attack. And we will continue to stand firmly with the Ukrainian people to ensure that Putin fails in Ukraine,” he added.
Specifically, the additional aid provided includes “sophisticated anti-aircraft systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, innovative electronic equipment and thousands of vital equipment for Ukrainian soldiers,” the government said. London sees it as “a first step” that will allow Ukraine to move from “valiant defense” against the Russian invasion to “offensive operations” to regain ground.
The UK was one of the first countries to deliver lethal weapons to Kyiv, notably more than 5000 anti-tank missiles, and has since significantly increased its military support, with armor but also training Ukrainian soldiers.