Ukraine Warupdated 59m ago3 min read
Archive photo · 8 January 2025John Healey Announces £10 Billion Additional Support for Ukraine, Including £500 Million for Winter Air Defences
“Zelensky said on X: ‘A truly strong and very timely step - coming right as Russia needs to see”
“Keep it firmly in mind, because the domestic ledger tells an entirely different story.”
Photo: U.S. Secretary of Defense / US federal government, Public domain · Cropped for layout
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
UK to give 10 billion pounds to Ukraine over three years, 7b economic, 3b export. £500 million urgent military funding for winter air defenses.
Save coverage image
Anadolu Ajansı was read line by line by the Watchdog: 0.0. See the score →
Britain adds £10bn
British Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey told lawmakers in London on Oct 28, 2026 that Britain would provide £10 billion ($13.29 billion) of additional economic and military support to Ukraine to help in its war with Russia. Healey said the £10 billion would be "based on loans, export finance guarantees and (£500 million) in urgent military funding for this winter," and he said he and Prime Minister Andy Burnham had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy before the budget. A Downing Street spokesperson said the £10 billion would be made up of £7 billion of economic support over three years and £3 billion in export finance capacity for Ukraine, while the £500 million of military funding would "plug urgent gaps in Ukraine's air defences".
President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on social media that he had a "great conversation with the UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham" and he described the announcement as "A truly strong and very timely step" for Ukraine. The British government said the new commitment was Britain’s largest financial support package for Ukraine, and it said the £7 billion economic component included up to £5.5 billion in World Bank guarantees.
Zelensky thanks Burnham
Zelensky said the UK decision was a timely signal to Moscow that Kyiv would continue receiving international backing, and he wrote that it was "right as Russia needs to see and feel that Ukraine will not be left alone." Healey told lawmakers that Zelenskiy "told us 'you've made my day'" after the call before the budget, and Downing Street said the air-defense funding would address urgent shortfalls. The UK government also said Burnham and Healey spoke with Zelensky ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, and Downing Street described the new commitment as Britain’s largest financial support package for Ukraine.
Zelensky said the £7 billion economic support would come over the next three years and the additional £3 billion would be British export support, and he said the export support would be allocated "primarily for the supply of much-needed weapons that will strengthen our protection of lives." The UK government said the additional £500 million for air defenses would help address urgent shortfalls as Ukraine prepared for another winter of Russian attacks, and it said continued international support was essential to convincing Moscow that prolonging the war would not weaken Ukraine’s position.
Winter air defense focus
The British government framed the new package as winter-focused, with the £500 million in urgent military funding intended to "plug urgent gaps in Ukraine's air defences" as Ukraine prepared for another winter of Russian attacks. Xinhua said Healey specified that the additional 10 billion pounds of economic and military support "consists of loans, Export Finance guarantees and half a billion in urgent military funding for this winter," and it said Burnham and Healey called Zelensky earlier on Wednesday. Xinhua also said Britain committed a total of 35 billion pounds (47 billion dollars) for Ukraine, including 16 billion pounds (21 billion dollars) in military support, and it said the funding would help Ukraine meet its immediate needs and support economic resilience.
Kyiv Post said the package included £500 million ($665 million) in additional military assistance to address urgent gaps in Ukraine’s air defenses this winter, and it said the £3 billion ($4 billion) export-finance expansion would prioritize defense-related exports. Laodong.vn said the Netherlands announced a separate equipment package worth nearly 550 million US dollars, prioritizing air defense systems and drones, and it said Amsterdam also allocated an additional 1.2 billion euros (about 1.3 billion dollars) in humanitarian aid over the next 3 years.