UK to provide 1.3 billion pounds of further military support to Ukraine

The British government said it would provide a further 1.3 billion pounds in military support and aid to Ukraine.

Britain said it would provide a further 1.3 billion pounds ($1.60 billion) in military support and aid to Ukraine, making the pledge ahead of a planned video call on Sunday by Group of Seven leaders with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Prime Minister Johnson has been one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine's efforts to resist Russian forces since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion on Feb. 24. Johnson's government has sent anti-tank missiles, air defence systems and other weapons to Ukraine.

The new pledge almost doubles Britain's previous spending commitments on Ukraine and the government said this is the highest rate of spending on a conflict since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, although it did not give details of this calculation.

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"Putin's brutal attack is not only causing untold devastation in Ukraine it is also threatening peace and security across Europe," Johnson said in a statement. Last week he became the first Western leader to address Ukraine's parliament since the start of the invasion.

The leaders of the G7 countries - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States - will hold their virtual meeting with Zelenskiy on Sunday, the day before Russia marks its Victory Day holiday, which marks the end of World War Two in Europe.

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