UK pledges additional $133 million in air defense support for Ukraine
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The U.K. said on March 27 that it would "urgently commit" an additional £100 million (around $133 million) in air defense support for Ukraine, after Russia scaled up its blitz over the winter.
The £100 million pledge, which brings the total committed by the U.K. to bolster Ukraine's air defense to £600 million ($800 million) over the last two months "will be rapidly deployed" to help the war-torn country defend itself, according to the British Government's press release. The new funding would help bolster the protection of front-line troops and key national infrastructure against Russian bombardment, it added.
"As Putin continues his abhorrent attacks across Ukraine, my message is simple — there will be no let up in the UK’s support," the press release cited British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as saying.
"This vital air defence package will do just that, protecting millions of people in Ukraine from Russia’s barbaric strikes on cities and homes, as their armed forces courageously defend their nation and our values on the front line."
The U.K.'s announcement to increase support for Ukraine comes as the future of support from Kyiv's biggest ally, the U.S., becomes increasingly uncertain. The Pentagon is considering redirecting military aid intended for Ukraine to the Middle East amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, the Washington Post reported on March 26, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
The U.K. said in its press release that the new funding comes on top of the £500 million (about $675 million) air defense package that London announced at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, also known as the Ramstein Summit, in February.
The press release said that the February package encompassed £150 million (about $200 million) in an initiative to enable the quick delivery of air defense interceptors, as well as over 1,000 Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs), which Ukraine widely uses. The February package also supported a collaboration deal between the British and Ukrainian industry worth 390 million pounds (about $530 million).
The new air defense assistance is designed to bolster the February package, the British Government added
The U.K. has provided Ukraine with £3 billion ($4 billion) in annual military aid, according to the press release.
