UK pledges further £2.3bn to support Ukraine in 2023

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed that the UK will provide more support to Ukraine with another £2.3bn worth of support next year.

The confirmation comes after it was suggested that further support would be provided as the country continues its struggle against the invading Russian army.  

On 25 December, it was reported by the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces that Britain had sent more than 900 generators to help the country after an estimated $6.8bn in damages were caused to the country's energy infrastructure by Russia.

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In September this year, then Prime Minister Liz Truss made a pledge to provide the amount next year, and that has now been confirmed by the Government. 

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement: "Another £2.3bn worth of support next year and in that we make sure they have the weapon systems they need and at the moment the United Kingdom will go and help them buy it from elsewhere around the world.

"We'll resource weapon systems that match their Soviet era, we recently donated thousands of anti-air missiles so we can bring down these drones.

"At the same time, Britain is providing their knowledge and expertise about making sure we co-ordinate better the air defence on the ground.

"But also, in parallel, it's making sure that Ukraine can win on the ground, that it can push back Russia's forces.

"I noticed Gordon Brown's comments yesterday, very importantly, we should point out and remind the world that what we’re seeing is Russia breaking international law, systematically being involved in war crimes and rape and all those things and you can’t ignore that we have to all stand up to that and make sure Russia understands that unless it ceases what it is doing now, there will be long term consequences."

In a Twitter thread on Wednesday, Mr Brown drew a comparison with the international declaration which led to the Nuremberg tribunals at the end of the Second World War.

"Britain and the United States should now take the lead in not only supporting Ukraine but protecting the legacy of 1945: the Nuremberg moment that gave us the idea of accountability for international crimes," he said.

"There should be no hiding place for Russia's warmongers. By striking fear that long prison sentences lie ahead, many of his inner cabal could start to distance themselves from Putin."