The United Kingdom has committed to providing, at minimum, more than $2.5 billion to Ukraine in military aid in 2023.
The U.K. government announced that it would match the total military aid committed to the Ukrainian military in 2022 in the coming year.
Matching the Commitment
In 2023, the U.K. government will provide Ukraine with at least $2.6 billion (£2.3bn) in security aid as part of its renewed commitment to the defense of Ukraine.
The ousting of Boris Johnson from the British premiership raised concerns that the amount of security aid and support to Ukraine would decrease. The former British prime minister has been a leading figure in the international coalition against the Russian invasion. But his successor, Liz Truss, is now committed to continuing the work of his predecessor. (The reappointment of the highly successful and effective Ben Wallace as Minister for Defense was also a sign that the new British government would stick to its support of Ukraine.)
“Ukraine’s victories in recent weeks have been inspirational. Time and time again these brave people have defied the doubters and showed what they can do when given the military, economic and political support they need,” British Prime Minister Liz Truss said in a statement.
“My message to the people of Ukraine is this: the UK will continue to be right behind you every step of the way. Your security is our security,” the British leader stated.
“By turning off the taps of Nord Stream gas pipeline, Putin has consigned millions of people in Europe to a colder and more difficult winter. Too many lives – in Ukraine, in Europe and around the world – are being manipulated by a dependence on Russian energy. We need to work together to end this once and for all,” Truss said.
The U.K. is the second-largest donor of military aid to Ukraine, with approximately $2.6 billion in weapon systems and ammunition since the war began in February. The British have provided anti-tank missiles like the popular NLAW system, anti-aircraft weapons, armored personnel carriers, air defense systems, artillery pieces, ammunition, and non-lethal military equipment. Equally important, the British military has trained almost 30,000 Ukrainian forces since 2015 and continues to do on British soil.
The U.S. continues to lead the list of security aid donors, nearing the astounding $20 billion mark.
Western Military Aid
The Ukrainian military now has the strategic initiative and is advancing on several fronts with simultaneous counteroffensives.
The days of gloom when it looked like the Russian forces would capture Kyiv or the entire Donbas are in the past. The Ukrainian forces are liberating settlement after settlement while the Russian military is in retreat.
NLAW missile from the U.K. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
This is a remarkable achievement on the part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Ukrainian troops and people have shown enviable defiance against a much larger and advanced enemy. But the Ukrainian achievements would have been possible without the assistance of the West, with the United States, United Kingdom, and Poland leading the way in military aid.
Expert Biography: A 19FortyFive Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
