The UK has pledged an additional €580 million in new military supplies for Ukraine, including long-range missiles and four million rounds of ammunition, just days after the US approved a multi-billion support package for the war-torn country.
As Kyiv struggles to hold off advancing Russian forces on the southern and eastern front, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to confirm the assistance. Sunak’s office stated that he assured Zelenskyy of the UK’s steadfast support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s brutal and expansionist ambitions.
The UK government announced that the new military supplies will include 400 vehicles, 60 boats, 1,600 munitions, and the four million rounds of ammunition. The shipment will also include British Storm Shadow long-range missiles, which have proven effective at hitting Russian targets.
While some Western capitals have expressed concerns that sending such missiles could escalate tensions with Moscow, Zelenskyy thanked the Prime Minister for the UK’s continued support, stating that the new military assistance would make a material difference to ordinary Ukrainians fighting on the front line to defend their country.
The announcement comes as Zelenskyy has repeatedly pleaded for greater international assistance, warning that Ukraine will lose the war without it. Ammunition shortages linked to aid hold-ups over the past six months have put Ukrainian military commanders at a disadvantage, with Russia taking advantage by advancing towards key cities in the eastern Donetsk region. The Institute for the Study of War has warned that Moscow could be preparing for a new offensive.