UK allocated over £2.3 bln in military aid to Ukraine
Britain's Minister of State for Europe, Graham Stuart, said his country had allocated more than £2.3 billion in military aid to Ukraine and stressed that allies needed to ensure sustainable funding for Ukraine as the invasion wreaks havoc on the economy.
The British minister stated this in an interview with Delfi.
"The UK has committed more than £2.3 billion in military aid to Ukraine… One of the big challenges going forward is to ensure that the Ukrainian military gets what it needs and to ensure sustainable funding for Ukraine, as it is clear that the invasion is eroding the influence on its economy and GDP," Stuart said.
The promised money from "all Western allies, led by the USA," should not just remain promises but be transferred "to the hands of the Ukrainian government so that it can fulfill its function, support Ukraine's economy and wage war."
The British minister believes that earlier democratic countries did not sufficiently demonstrate their moral authority and their response to the violation of the territorial integrity of Georgia and Ukraine in 2008 and 2014 was also insufficient. Therefore, it is necessary to show russia that "aggression will never go unpunished" and the russian federation cannot count on achieving its goals.
"We in the Baltic countries and the United Kingdom are absolutely sure that there is only one possible outcome of this conflict, the victory of Ukraine. russia must be defeated, and the rule of law must be preserved. And we must do everything possible so that free democratic peoples are not oppressed and attacked by aggressive neighbors," Stuart emphasized.
He also stated the need to prevent a "creeping normalization" of relations with the aggressor and emphasized the importance of "full solidarity" of allies, particularly the Baltic states. After Lithuania, Graham Stuart is heading to Latvia. At the same time, British Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement James Heappey is in Estonia.
"We are here to say that we absolutely support the Baltic countries 100%, and to tell any aggressor that NATO members will be protected," the British minister said.
