On 30 October, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves announced a significant increase in defence spending planned for 2025. In particular, the country plans to allocate £3 billion (approximately $3.8 billion) annually to support Ukraine’s defence efforts. This was reported by Reuters.
‘Today I am announcing an overall increase of £2.9 billion ($3.8 billion) in the Ministry of Defence budget for next year, enabling the UK to more than meet our NATO commitments and provide £3 billion a year of guaranteed military support to Ukraine,’ Reeves said during the presentation of the country’s new budget.
The UK government stressed that support for Ukraine will continue ‘for as long as necessary’. This step reflects the UK’s intention to maintain an active role in stabilising the situation in Ukraine, as well as responding to growing security challenges in Europe, particularly in the context of Russian aggression.
According to the minister, the increased budget is aimed not only at strengthening the UK’s defence capabilities, but also at supporting its partners, such as Ukraine, who need long-term support in the fight to preserve their sovereignty and territorial integrity.
