Ukraine to get billions more from Europe to help in fight against Russia
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said he was ‘thankful’ and said a key issue was strengthening his country’s air defences
European countries vowed on Friday to sends billions of dollars in further funding to help Ukraine keep fighting Russia’s invasion.
After chairing a meeting of Ukraine’s Western backers in Brussels, British Defence Secretary John Healey said that new pledges of military aid totalled over US$24 billion, “a record boost in military funding for Ukraine, and we are also surging that support to the frontline fight”.
Healey gave no breakdown of that figure, and Ukraine has in the past complained that some countries repeat old offers at such pledging conferences or fail to deliver real arms and ammunition worth the money they promise.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said last week that Ukraine’s backers have provided around US$21 billion in the first three months of this year. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday that more than US$26 billion has been committed.
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Ukraine captured 2 Chinese nationals fighting for Russia, Zelensky says
In Moscow, meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff was back in Russia but he did not confirm whether he will meet with President Vladimir Putin.