7 hours ago
James Landale Foreign Affairs Editor, BBC News (Kew)
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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (left) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
The British government announced on the 12th that it will provide 2.5 billion pounds (approximately 460 billion yen) of military aid to Ukraine over the next year. This is the largest annual amount of aid provided by the UK since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on the same day and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Ukraine “will never be isolated,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine, saying, “If we win in Ukraine, we will not stop there.”
The support will begin in the new fiscal year starting in April. British officials said the new aid package would include long-range missiles, air defense systems and artillery shells.
Around £200 million will also be allocated to drones. Most of the drones will be British-made, and it is expected to be the largest ever foreign delivery of drones to Ukraine.
On the other hand, it is notable that Prime Minister Sunak did not promise financial support for several years.
Within the British government, some ministers and senior military officials have argued privately that pledging continued financial support for several years would send a stronger signal to Russia that Britain would support Ukraine in the long term. was.
Mr Sunak instead chose to increase aid to Ukraine by a further £200m, up from the previous £2.3bn a year.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the support package was the first step in a “100-year partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom.”
The package also includes £18 million in humanitarian aid to help protect energy infrastructure and increased funding for online English learning.
British Cabinet Secretary for Defense James Heapy said on BBC TV that drones would give Ukraine an advantage in the coming years.
“This drone is being developed at a rapid pace, learning all the lessons from what we’ve seen in Ukraine over the last two years,” Heapy said.
He added that this support shows that the UK maintains its leading position in Europe as the second largest donor to Ukraine.
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British Prime Minister Sunak (right) visited injured soldiers during his stay in Kiev.
Prime Minister Sunak met with Zelenskiy at the presidential palace in Kiiv, as well as emergency services workers and residents in the city.
This is Prime Minister Sunak’s first visit to Ukraine in 1 year and 3 months since November 2022. “My message is one: Britain will not back down. We will stand with Ukraine in its darkest moments and in the better times ahead,” he said. .
“The UK is already one of Ukraine’s closest partners, because we recognize that Ukraine’s security is our security.”
“We will go further, increasing military support, providing thousands of state-of-the-art drones, and signing a historic new security agreement that will provide Ukraine with the long-term guarantees it needs.”
“Ukraine has fought bravely over the past two years to repel Russia’s brutal aggression. Ukraine remains unwavering in its determination to defend its country and defend its principles of freedom and democracy. ”
Asked by BBC News if Britain should have announced a multi-year financial aid package, Sunak stressed that Britain was the first ally to sign a long-term security agreement with Ukraine. .
“This support sends a strong signal to Putin and other countries that we are here to stay. We are here to support Ukraine in the long term,” the prime minister explained.
President Zelenskiy praised Sunak’s “personal leadership” and said the deal with Britain “will become the basis for our work with other partners.”
The agreement consists of bilateral guarantees regarding military and economic support to deter Russian aggression even before Ukraine joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The Group of Seven (G7) pledged to strike such a deal with Ukraine at last year’s NATO summit, with Britain becoming the first country to do so.
In recent months, MPs have been pressing the British government to give Ukraine sooner and clearer information to allow it to move forward with its military plans.
Meanwhile, the United States and European Union (EU) are struggling to agree on their own support measures, while Ukraine is in dire need of more artillery and missiles.
Sunak said he was confident that allies “continue to come together to support Ukraine.”
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2024-01-13 03:10:52
