Great Britain confirmed its intention to provide Ukraine with over 13 billion pounds in military aid. This was stated by the Minister of State for Defence of the United Kingdom, Luke Pollard, after the talks of the heads of defence departments in the E5 format, which includes Poland, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy, held in Krakow.
The Minister of State for Defence of the United Kingdom, Luke Pollard, stressed that the United Kingdom, together with its NATO and E5 partners, will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary.
“We will stand with Ukraine as the United Kingdom, as the E5, as members “NATO, as much as needed. And the UK has committed over £13 billion to Ukraine’s military support. And we will continue to share technology and experience gained on the battlefield, and the Octopus interceptor, which learns from the battlefield, is now being mass-produced in the UK, which will allow Ukraine to shoot down drones that attack its infrastructure,” Pollard said.
He noted that the launch of the LEAP initiative, aimed at creating cheaper autonomous drones as an alternative to expensive air defense systems, demonstrates the practical results of cooperation within the E5. The defense ministry representative stressed that European countries must develop affordable defense technologies to ensure their own security and the security of their citizens.
“Our first project will use advanced technologies learned from the lessons of the battlefield in Ukraine. And in times of increasing threats, it is actions, not words, that will deter Putin. And that is what we see here when it comes to the agreement on the E5 LEAP initiative,” the Ministry of Defense representative said.
He also emphasized the unwavering British support for Ukraine and mentioned the approaching anniversary of the full-scale war.
“Our support for Ukraine is unwavering. Next week we will mark a sad anniversary as the full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its fifth year. Putin thought he could win this war in three days. He was wrong. Now he faces a stronger, more united and larger NATO, and Ukraine continues to fight with tremendous courage,” Pollard said.
