A day after proposing a £2.2 billion loan to Ukraine, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised another £1.6 billion of UK export finance to finance Kyiv’s defense. The money will be used to let Ukraine buy more than 5,000 air defense missiles that are made in Belfast.
This will be crucial for defending critical infrastructure today and bolstering Ukraine in achieving peace when the time comes. We have to take a lesson from our past. A weak agreement such as Minsk, one which Russia can quickly break, cannot be signed,” Starmer said.
The news came as European leaders converged in London for high-level talks on Ukraine’s security, after a heated White House showdown between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Starmer, who was hosting the summit with Zelenskyy, said the summit was a “once-in-a-generation moment” for the security of Europe, calling on leaders to up their game.
EU to Announce Plan for Military Spending
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she will outline a plan next week to enhance Europe’s defense strength. In her address at the summit, she underscored the importance of turning around decades of underinvestment, saying, “It is of utmost importance to step up defense investment for a prolonged period. This is crucial for the security of the European Union.”
Italy Reaffirms Support for Ukraine
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni received Zelenskyy on the side of the summit, restating Italy’s position in supporting the sovereignty, security, and freedom of Ukraine. She cautioned against Western fractures concerning Ukraine, citing the need for a common stand.
Meloni also talked with Trump before the meeting, but the contents of their talk remain confidential.
