London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 13, 2026

UK pledges an extra £1bn in military support to Ukraine

UK pledges an extra £1bn in military support to Ukraine

The UK will provide an additional £1bn in military aid for Ukraine, a near-doubling in its support for the fight against the Russian invasion.
The new funding takes the military aid given to Kyiv to £2.3bn - and the UK has also spent £1.5bn in humanitarian and economic support for Ukraine.

Boris Johnson said British spending was "transforming Ukraine's defenses".

The pledge came after President Zelensky urged Nato leaders to do more to help Ukraine's war effort.

Mr Zelensky told Nato leaders the monthly cost of defence for Ukraine was around $5bn (£4.12bn).

The UK is second only to the US in terms of military aid for Ukraine - the US recently approved a $40bn (£33bn) package of support.

The new British aid will go towards paying for "sophisticated air defence systems", drones, electronic warfare equipment, and "thousands of pieces of vital kit", the UK government said.

The new £1bn is set to come from departmental underspends, the UK government said, plus £95 million from the Welsh and Scottish governments' budgets.

An "underspend" means departments spent less than anticipated, not that government finances were in surplus overall. Public sector borrowing was £151.8bn in the year ending March 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Announcing the extra support, the government claimed the equipment was the first step to helping Ukraine recover territory lost to Russia, on top of their "valiant defence".

But questions remain about whether the aid will be sufficient.

Addressing Nato leaders at their summit in Madrid on Wednesday via video link, Mr Zelensky said they needed more modern weapons systems and artillery to "break the Russian artillery advantage".

"Russia still receives billions every day and spends them on war. We have a multibillion-dollar deficit, we don't have oil and gas to cover it," Mr Zelensky said.

Also speaking in the Spanish capital, Mr Johnson said: "Putin's brutality continues to take Ukrainian lives and threaten peace and security across Europe.

"As Putin fails to make the gains he had anticipated and hoped for and the futility of this war becomes clear to all, his attacks against the Ukrainian people are increasingly barbaric.

"UK weapons, equipment and training are transforming Ukraine's defences against this onslaught."

Foreign secretary Liz Truss told the BBC the UK's contribution would enable the Ukrainians to succeed as "they are not just fighting for themselves, they are fighting for all of us".

But when asked if £1bn was anywhere near enough the amount needed by Ukraine, she said the UK was helping the nation kickstart its economy and reconstruct.

She added: "It's not a blank cheque and we are providing specific amounts of funding... we've been very clear with them we will not let them down.

"We will continue to support them in the long term in whichever way we can, in a way that we can afford."

The UK's commitment comes as the members of Nato agreed a 10-year "strategic concept" to address future threats to European and global security.

At the same time, the US government announced it will increase its military presence across Europe as Nato agreed a "fundamental shift" in its response to Russia's invasion.

The UK currently spends around 2.3% of GDP on defence, which is above the 2% target set by Nato and among the highest of member nations.

However, the defence budget has been the source of tension between No 10 and Ministry of Defence (MoD), amid calls for more funding for the armed forces.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told reporters in Madrid: "To be fair, No 10 does say 'if you include the extra Ukrainian spend', they have put a sort of caveat to that.

"Because of course it isn't core defence spending. I mean, it is not my core budget, it doesn't buy me any more planes, tanks or ships."

Wallace added it was "obliquely helping Britain's defence because we're helping Ukraine".

But Labour's shadow defence secretary John Healey said government plans to cut another 10,000 soldiers from the army was embarrassing for the UK.

He told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: "It's not responding to the greater threats we face, and it's putting at risk our Nato obligations."

But he declined to answer if a Labour government would spend more on defence.

As well as providing aid, the UK is also training Ukrainian troops.

The UK trained more than 22,000 members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces as part of Operation Orbital, which ran from 2015 until the invasion in February.

And earlier this month, Mr Johnson announced a new UK-led training program for Ukrainian forces, which will take place overseas. The MoD said it has the potential to train up to 10,000 troops every 120 days.

Over the past few weeks, more than 450 Ukrainian troops have been receiving training in Wiltshire to operate the weapons provided by the UK.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
World Cup Visitors Turn American Big-Box Stores Into Souvenir Stops
Netflix Weighs Always-On Channels, Bundles and Short-Form Video
Passenger Is Pulled Partly Outside Ryanair Jet After Window Fails Mid-Flight
Innovation-led growth strategy
Public service reform pressure
Defence and industrial security
Labour leadership transition and economic reset
Northern England Pushes for Greater Influence in Britain’s Future Economic Model
UK Technology Strategy Focuses on Life Sciences, Digital Innovation and Research Investment
Britain and United States Maintain Focus on Pharmaceuticals Cooperation and Industrial Growth
UK Public Services Face Continued Pressure as Government Promises Visible Improvements
Regional Economic Power Becomes Key Theme in Britain’s Next Political Phase
Britain Expands Support for Small Businesses as Firms Seek Better Access to Finance
UK Economy Remains Central Political Challenge as Cost of Living and Growth Concerns Persist
National Health Service Introduces New Workplace Reviews to Improve Conditions for Healthcare Staff
UK Life Sciences Sector Secures More Than Three Billion Pounds in Investment to Support Innovation
Britain Strengthens Defence Strategy as Security Concerns Reshape Military and Industrial Policy
Andy Burnham Promises Stronger UK Defence Industry and Expanded Domestic Production
UK Government Faces Difficult Spending Choices as Labour Leadership Transition Approaches
Rachel Reeves Warns Andy Burnham of Immediate Economic Challenges After Expected Leadership Change
Andy Burnham Prepares to Lead UK Government With Plans for Regional Power Shift and Economic Reset
Government Creates Emergency Support Scheme for Financially Struggling Universities
United Kingdom Replaces Traditional Farm Subsidies With Payments Linked to Environmental Performance
National Grid Reports First Week of Electricity Generation Without Fossil Fuels
United Kingdom Financial Regulator Introduces Tougher Capital Rules for Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Belfast Harbour Expands Operations to Attract Investment Through United Kingdom and European Union Market Access
Scottish Government Threatens Legal Challenge Over Westminster Cuts to North Sea Transition Funding
United Kingdom Accelerates Trans-Pennine High-Speed Rail Project Linking Northern Cities
United Kingdom Secures Ten Billion Pound Investment for Cambridge Quantum Computing Campus
Port Talbot Steelworks Wins Support for Green Hydrogen Transition and Protection of Industrial Jobs
United Kingdom Sends Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group to Indo-Pacific as Regional Security Focus Expands
National Health Service Expands Artificial Intelligence Diagnostics Across England to Reduce Screening Backlogs
United Kingdom Launches Fifty Billion Pound Infrastructure Fund to Accelerate Housing and Construction
UK Medical Chiefs Update Health Guidance to Promote Everyday Physical Activity
Office of Communications Keeps Wikipedia Under Review Under UK Online Safety Rules
UK Defence Ministry Expands Deep-Strike Capability Through Precision Missile Programme
Russell Group Universities Warn Funding Cuts Could Damage NHS Workforce Training
UK Parliament Calls for National Emergency Broadcast as Heatwave Conditions Intensify
UK and Netherlands Strengthen Naval Cooperation With New Amphibious Defence Partnership
UK Defence Ministry Joins International Missile Programme With One Hundred and Ninety Million Pound Investment
Bank of England Warns Middle East Conflict and AI Risks Could Pressure UK Economy
UK Government Introduces New Rules to Limit Foreign Influence in Political Donations
UK and France Prepare Naval Mission to Protect Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz
United States Pressures UK to Increase Defence Spending at NATO Summit
Bank of England Warns Artificial Intelligence Investment Boom Could Create Financial Stability Risks
Bank of England Begins Direct Oversight of Critical Technology Providers Supporting UK Finance
Andy Burnham Set to Become UK Prime Minister After Labour Leadership Race Clears Path to Downing Street
Scottish Fishing Industry Calls for Emergency Support Amid Rising Costs
UK Supports Stronger European Response to Russian Actions in Ukraine
Devon and Cornwall Police Release Suspect in Ann Widdecombe Murder Investigation
×