Ukraine War: UK pledges £1.3 billion extra military support to Zelenskyy’s forces as G7 leaders prepare to hold talks with president | World News

The UK will provide an additional £1.3 billion in military support to Ukrainian forces as they battle against Russian aggression.

The escalation of British support for Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s force is the UK’s highest proportion of military spending on a conflict since the height of its campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

£1.3 billion, drawn from UK reserves, including £300 million in armories promised by Boris Johnson earlier this week.

Mr Johnson, US President Joe Biden and leaders from other G7 nations will hold talks with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on Sunday to discuss the proposed additional support.

Soldiers prepare for attacks around Russian victory day – live updates

The kit that Mr. Johnson promised includes anti-battery radar systems for targeting Russian artillery, GPS jammers and night vision devices.

The news came as Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, Iryna Vereshchuk, said all the remaining women, children and elderly people were able to leave the Azovstal steel plant in the besieged city of Mariupol.

She said: “The president’s order has been carried out: all women, children and the elderly have been evacuated from Azovstal. This part of the Mariupol humanitarian operation has been completed.”

Cities across Ukraine are bracing for an expected increase in attacks before Russia celebrates its traditional victory day on Monday.

Johnson meets with weapons companies

Mr Johnson will hold a meeting of arms companies later this month to discuss increasing production to meet demand caused by the conflict in Ukraine.

Officials say the announcement will help support the UK arms industry, which could benefit from Vladimir Putin’s global shift away from reliance on equipment from sanctioned Russia.

“Putin’s brutal attack has not only caused untold destruction in Ukraine, but also threatens peace and security throughout Europe,” the prime minister said.

The funding sits on top of previous commitments of around £1.5 billion, including £400 million in humanitarian aid and loan guarantees for an additional World Bank loan of £700 million.

America promises artillery and radar

President Biden has promised a package that includes artillery shells, radar and other military equipment.

Sunday’s virtual meeting of G7 leaders could also consider additional sanctions on Russia.

The White House sees the meeting as a way of showing Western solidarity ahead of Moscow’s May 9 Victory Day parade.

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There has been speculation that the Russian President had hoped to use the symbolic milestone date to highlight his success in Ukraine, but fierce resistance by Kyiv forces has shaken any claims. so.

The UK’s Ministry of Defense has said that Russia’s ability to fight modern equipment is being compromised by losses in Ukraine and the impact of sanctions.

The MoD said that at least one of Russia’s most advanced T-90M tanks was destroyed in the fighting, while sanctions are restricting access to the microelectronic components of sophisticated equipment. .