UK signs GBP-300-mln in military support to Ukraine

British Defense Secretary John Healey affirmed on Tuesday signing GBP 300 million (about USD 393 million) to deliver thousands of shells to Ukraine before the year ends. This came during a meeting between Healey and his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, during a visit to London, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. The visit comes during a milestone moment in international support for Ukraine, with eight countries from across the world having now joined the UK to provide more than GBP one billion to the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU). It also comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the IFU's largest ever support package at the NATO Summit in July, with a GBP-300-million contract to supply 152mm artillery shells to supply Ukraine's Soviet-era guns, as well as GBP three billion of UK aid for Ukraine per year for as long as it takes. The IFU was first launched by Denmark and the UK in 2022 to provide a more efficient way for countries to pool resources to buy equipment and weapons t o support Ukraine's most urgent capability needs, with the UK donating GBP 500 million to the Fund to date. Other contributors to the IFU include Australia, Iceland, New Zealand, and Sweden. Further deliveries from the IFU's other contracts will continue through the coming months. Source: Kuwait News Agency