The United Kingdom on Thursday made a new package of assistance for Ukraine for $590 million (about £450 million), a move meant to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin amid continuous efforts for a peace agreement. Of this total, £350 million is taken from the UK’s precommitted £4.5 billion Ukraine military support package for the rest of the year. Norway also contributes to the overall funds, the UK Ministry of Defence said.
British Defence Secretary John Healey unveiled the aid at a Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting in Brussels, co-chaired with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius. The most recent British assistance will fund repair and maintenance of military vehicles, radar equipment, anti-tank mines, and hundreds of thousands of drones.
Germany also made a sweeping €11 billion package of military aid to Ukraine, pledging support until 2029. The German defence ministry stated the new package consists of four Iris-T air defence systems with 300 guided missiles, 300 reconnaissance drones, 120 shoulder-fired air defence systems (ManPads), 25 Marder infantry vehicles, 15 Leopard 1A5 tanks, 14 artillery systems, 100 ground surveillance radars, and 30 Patriot missiles.
“Russia should have no doubt Ukraine is getting stronger. We are determined that that continues,” Pistorius said at the time of the announcement.
At the same time, in a significant diplomatic move, US diplomat Steve Witkoff was confirmed to be in Russia on Friday, his third trip as part of ongoing American efforts to help secure a ceasefire in the conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Witkoff arrived as tensions are high and pressure increases for serious negotiations.
US President Donald Trump has called upon Kyiv and Moscow to hasten peace negotiations, being frustrated by the delay in the conflict, now in its fourth year and with no end in prospect.
