UK pledges $620 million in new military aid for Ukraine

The UK on Tuesday pledged an additional $620 million in new military supplies for Ukraine, including longrange missiles and four millions rounds of ammunition, at a time when Ukraine is struggling to hold off advancing Russian forces on the eastern front line of the war, now in its third year.

British PM Rishi Sunak spoke with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday morning to confirm the assistance and “assure him of the UK’s steadfast support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s brutal and expansionist ambitions,” Sunak’s office said.

Sunak was travelling to Warsaw later Tuesday to meet with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg for talks about further aid for Ukraine.

Ahead of the visit, the UK government said Sunak would announce $620 million in new British military supplies, including 400 vehicles, 60 boats, 1,600 munitions and 4 million rounds of ammunition. The shipment will include British Storm Shadow long-range missiles, which have a range of some 150 miles and have proved effective at hitting Russian targets.

“President Zelenskyy thanked the PM for the UK’s continued support, saying the new military assistance would make a material difference to ordinary Ukrainians fighting on the front line to defend their country,” Downing Street said.

The announcement comes three days after the US House of Representatives approved $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, as American lawmakers raced to deliver a fresh round of US support to the war-torn ally.