LONDON, UK
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said late Wednesday Britain would send 6,000 missiles and £25 million ($33 million, 30 million euros) in financial aid to Ukraine's army to help it fight Russian forces.
The announcement of the
funding and additional military hardware, consisting of anti-tank and high
explosive weapons, comes on the eve of NATO and G7 summits set to discuss the
Russian invasion.
The British leader will urge
Western allies to "step up a gear" in their responses to Moscow's
actions, including by providing "enhanced defensive support to Ukraine and
doubling down on economic sanctions", according to his office.
He will detail London's
intention to work with partners to bolster Ukraine's defence capabilities,
including longer-range targeting and intelligence, Downing Street added.
"We cannot and will not
stand by while Russia grinds Ukraine's towns and cities into dust,"
Johnson said in a statement unveiling the new support package for Kyiv.
"The United Kingdom will
work with our allies to step up military and economic support to Ukraine,
strengthening their defences as they turn the tide in this fight."
Johnson added the
international community faced a choice of keeping "the flame of freedom
alive in Ukraine" or risking it "being snuffed out across Europe and
the world".
London has already provided
Kyiv with over 4,000 anti-tank weapons, including Next-Generation Light
Anti-Tank Weapons Systems (NLAWs) and so-called Javelin missiles.
The UK government is also
supplying Star streak high-velocity anti-aircraft missiles to help counter
aerial bombings, as well as body armour, helmets and combat boots.
The hardware has been credited
as playing a key part in helping Ukraine stall Russia's invasion.
Britain has previously
committed £400 million in humanitarian and economic aid for the crisis in
Ukraine.
The new £25 million funding
will help pay the salaries of Ukrainian soldiers, pilots and police and ensure
the country's armed forces are well equipped with high-quality equipment,
Downing Street said.
In addition to the new
military kit and funding, Britain will also provide an additional £4.1 million
for the BBC World Service as part of a cross-government effort
to tackle disinformation in Russia and Ukraine, it added.
Funding and administrative
support will also go towards the International Criminal Court's investigation
into war crimes, Johnson's office noted.
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