Gunships, lethal missiles and armored vehicles will be sent to repel Vladimir Putin under Britain’s biggest ever tranche of military aid to Ukraine.
Rishi Sunak will announce the package today along with an additional £500m for President Zelensky’s war effort.
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The prime minister will travel to Poland and then Germany for urgent security talks, where he will warn that Russia will invade NATO if not stopped.
In Poland, Sunak plans to discuss the Ukraine war with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
After visiting British troops serving in the country, he will meet Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw.
Ahead of his two-day trip, the Prime Minister said last night: “Defending Ukraine against Russia’s brutal ambitions is vital for our security and for all of Europe.
“If Putin is allowed to succeed in this war of aggression, he will not stop at the Polish border.”
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this morning to assure him of the UK’s strong support for defending Ukraine against Russia’s brutal and expansionist ambitions.
“It confirmed that the UK would provide an additional £500 million in immediate funding to support the highest priority capabilities, including more munitions, air defense and drones, bringing our support this year to £3 billion.
“The Ministry of Defense would also make our largest commitment of military equipment yet to help Ukraine fight on land, sea and air, including 60 ships, more than 400 vehicles and more than 1,600 missiles.
“President Zelenskyy thanked the Prime Minister for the UK’s continued support and said the new military assistance would make a material difference to ordinary Ukrainians fighting on the frontline to defend their country.
“Before a visit to Poland and Germany, the Prime Minister reiterated that Ukraine’s security was fundamental to the entire security of Europe. He said the UK would continue to work to galvanize the international community to support the defense of Ukraine.”
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The Ministry of Defense’s package to strengthen its firepower includes 60 assault craft-type vessels equipped with firearms.
More than 1,600 attack and air defense missiles, as well as Storm Shadow long-range guided missiles, will also be delivered.
An additional 400 vehicles, including “Husky” cars, are being deployed to the front line, along with nearly four million more rounds.
A separate £500m cash boost takes UK support for kyiv to £3bn this financial year.
Sunak is under pressure to dramatically increase Britain’s defense budget to 2.5 percent of GDP.
The Sun recently revealed it is considering a one-off upgrade to mark NATO’s 75th anniversary this summer.
Former Defense Secretary Ben Wallace quickly dismissed it as a “shallow stunt.”
Sunak said last night: “Ukraine’s armed forces continue to fight bravely, but they need our support, and they need it now.
“Today’s package will help ensure Ukraine has what it needs to take the fight to Russia.
“The UK will always play its role at the forefront of European security, defending our national interests and supporting our NATO allies.”
It comes after Poland said it is ready to host nuclear weapons on its borders as Russia and NATO head for a nuclear showdown.
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President Andrzej Duda said his country will adopt nuclear weapons if NATO asks it to do so as they look for a place to deploy weapons and respond to Putin’s latest chilling threats.
The despot and his Kremlin cronies have been stocking up on their worrying war as they began beefing up their arsenal in Belarus and Kaliningrad.
Duda said on Monday: “Russia is increasingly militarizing Kaliningrad. It has recently been moving its nuclear weapons to Belarus.
“If our allies decide to deploy nuclear weapons on our territory as part of the nuclear exchange, to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, we are willing to do so.
“I have already talked about it several times. I must admit that when I was asked about it, I declared that we were willing.”
Poland is in a crucial position as the NATO nation shares a border with Belarus and the Russian military playground of Kaliningrad.
Ukraine has always been assured that it will have Poland’s full support if it ever needed it due to its position.
Duda also revealed in the chat that nuclear talks between Poland and the United States have been ongoing for some time.
He told Fakt newspaper that they would work with the United States to develop nuclear weapons if necessary and prevent Russia from causing more chaos in Europe.
Moscow responded by warning the West that if Poland obtained weapons, it would take necessary measures to “ensure its security.”
Belarus has always been a friend of the Kremlin and happily allowed Putin to store his weapons closer to European powers.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is happy to install nuclear weapons in his country, since the United States “has been doing this for decades,” Putin said last year.
He said: “There is nothing unusual here either: first of all, the United States has been doing this for decades. They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allied countries.”
“We agree that we will do the same, without violating our obligations, I emphasize, without violating our international obligations on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.”
Russia has reportedly stationed 10 aircraft capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
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