Britain announced that it would contribute another 1.3 billion pounds ($1.60 billion) in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, ahead of a planned video conversation between Group of Seven leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday.
Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion on February 24, Prime Minister Johnson has been one of the most vocal advocates of Ukraine’s efforts to repel Russian forces. Ukraine has received anti-tank missiles, air defence systems, and other armaments from Johnson’s government.
The new vow nearly doubles Britain’s previous spending commitments on Ukraine, according to the government, which claims it is the greatest pace of spending on a fight since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but it does not provide specifics.
‘Putin’s barbaric attack is wreaking havoc in Ukraine while also endangering peace and security across Europe,’ Johnson said in a statement. He was the first Western leader to address Ukraine’s parliament since the invasion began last week.
The G7 leaders – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States – will meet virtually with Zelenskiy on Sunday, the day before Russia celebrates Victory Day, which commemorates the conclusion of World War II in Europe.
The additional funding for Ukraine will come from a government reserve set aside for emergencies, according to Britain.
According to the government, Johnson will hold a meeting of top defence corporations later this month to discuss raising production in response to increased demand caused by the Ukraine conflict.
While the United Kingdom has supplied substantial military assistance, it has only absorbed a small percentage of the more than 5 million Ukrainians who have fled their homeland. On Saturday, the British government announced that it had awarded more than 86,000 visas to Ukrainians, with roughly 27,000 arriving in the country.
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