Starmer: UK to Provide Ukraine with More Military Support This Year Than ‘Ever Before’
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that in 2025 his country will provide Ukraine with the largest amount of military assistance ever. He made the announcement at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
‘We are all working to end this war. But let's be clear - peace will come through strength. And we must do everything we can to support Ukraine's defence. This means stabilising the front line, providing the necessary equipment and training. That is why this year the UK will provide more military support to Ukraine than ever before,’ he said.
Starmer stressed the importance of active participation of all allies, especially European countries.
He also reminded that US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose new sanctions on Russia.
‘It is clear that this has worried Putin. We know that he is concerned about the state of the Russian economy. So I am here to work with our European partners to keep up the pressure. Targeting energy revenues and the companies that equip his missile factories to disrupt Putin's military machine. Because in the end, along with our military support, this is what will bring peace,’ the British Prime Minister said.
He also stressed that the allies should work to strengthen NATO to counter Russian espionage operations, sabotage in Europe, cyberattacks, election interference and assassination attempts.
‘We must strengthen European defence. In the UK, we are proud to be a leading NATO ally. Our defence spending now stands at 2.3% of GDP. And we are working to bring it up to 2.5%. NATO's plans and requirements, as well as the principle of ‘NATO First’, will be at the centre of our strategic defence review this year... We want to ensure an ambitious UK-EU security partnership in support of NATO,’ Starmer said.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in turn, called on European countries to increase investment in defence.
‘In other words, to prevent war, we must spend more. Britain understands this instinctively. You have long since reached the 2% target. And I welcome plans to further increase defence investment. Because in a more dangerous world, 2% will not be enough to keep us safe. We need to invest much more. We also need to replenish our stockpiles, and fast,’ he said.