A Ukrainian soldier taking part in training exercises in February 2025. Getty Images
The UK government has promised another £450 million to help Ukraine defend itself. This new military aid comes just before a major meeting in Brussels. Officials from 50 countries, including the UK and Germany, are meeting to find ways to put more pressure on Russia to stop the war.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said, “We must step up to deter Russian aggression by continuing to bolster Ukraine’s defences.” He also said 2025 would be a very important year for Ukraine and that helping now would make a big difference on the battlefield.
Out of the total £450 million package, £350 million will come directly from the UK. The remaining amount will come from Norway through a special fund led by the UK. This shows that other countries are also supporting Ukraine through different means.
The support package includes several parts. One part will help fix and maintain the equipment that the UK already gave to Ukraine. This will make sure that those weapons and vehicles continue to work well. Another part of the money, over £250 million, will go towards supplying radar systems, anti-tank mines, and hundreds of thousands of drones.
Healey said the military group’s job is to help Ukraine win and keep peace. He added, “We cannot jeopardise peace by forgetting the war.” He believes this latest support will help Ukraine keep fighting strong.
This is not the first time the UK has helped Ukraine. Just last month, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a £1.6 billion missile deal. That came after a major meeting of European leaders in London. The UK also gave Ukraine a £2.2 billion loan, using profits made from Russian assets that had been frozen.
However, not everyone is happy with the latest announcement. One British political party said the £450 million is too little. Defence spokeswoman Helen Maguire said, “This package is small change compared to what’s needed to combat Putin’s barbaric war.” She believes the government should go further and take more Russian assets in the UK to help Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the UK and Germany are now leading the Ukraine Defence Contact Group. This group used to be led by the US until Donald Trump became president again in January. Since then, the UK’s Healey has stepped in to lead the meetings.
This latest meeting comes after another defence meeting between 30 countries. These countries are working together to find a way to bring lasting peace to Ukraine. The idea of sending a force to the region is also being discussed.
Healey made it clear he does not support sending in peacekeeping forces to stand between the two sides right now. But he said helping Ukraine build a stronger army will be key to long-term peace.
