According to Rishi Sunak, the United Kingdom will be providing £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) in military assistance to Ukraine next year. This is the biggest yearly commitment from Britain since Russia's invasion.
Britain's prime minister announced during his unusual visit to Ukraine that he signed a new pact bolstering the country's long-term security, BBC reported.
Officials said the package will provide artillery rounds, air defense systems, and long-range missiles to Ukraine. Drones, the majority of which will be manufactured in the UK, will get a budget of about £200 million ($255 million).
A military package for the next fiscal year that starts in April, according to officials, will lead to the biggest drone shipment of any nation to Ukraine.
Prime Minister Sunak has opted out of a multi-year financial obligation. There had been talks between politicians and high-ranking military officials that this would demonstrate to Moscow that Britain would be there for Ukraine in the long run.
Sunak has instead decided to pay £200 million ($255 million) more than the previous two years, during which the UK's yearly military contribution to Ukraine amounted to £2.3 billion ($2.9 billion).
'Unshakeable' Partnership
According to BBC, the prime minister's office described the assistance package as "an unshakeable hundred-year partnership between Ukraine and the UK" and claimed it would be the first step in a growing relationship.
Additional funds for online English language courses, assistance for strengthening Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and humanitarian relief totaling £18 million ($23 million) will also be part of it.
UK Defense Minister James Heappey said on BBC Breakfast that Ukraine would have an edge in the future years because of these drone supplies. "They are drones that are being developed at pace, learning all of the lessons from what we've seen in Ukraine over the last two years."
He went on to say that the money demonstrates the UK's continued dominance in Europe as the continent's second-largest contributor to Ukraine.
In his visit to Kyiv, Sunak said:
"I am here today with one message: the UK will also not falter. We will stand with Ukraine in their darkest hours and in better times to come. The UK is already one of Ukraine's closest partners, because we recognise their security is our security. Today we are going further, increasing our military aid, delivering thousands of cutting-edge drones and signing a historic new security agreement to provide Ukraine with the assurances it needs for the long term."
Right on Time
British lawmakers have been pressing for months for more clarification from the government, claiming that it should have provided Ukraine with more time to prepare for military action. The government finally caved and pledged.
It also comes at a time when the United States and European Union are still unable to agree on their respective assistance packages and when missiles and shells are in dire need in Ukraine.
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