Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a further package of £175 million in UK aid for Ukraine, bringing the total funding during the crisis to £400m.
Speaking at a press conference today (Monday 7 March), in which he was joined by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, he said: "I am announcing a further £175m of UK aid to Ukraine, $100m [approximately £76m] of which will be provided directly to the Ukrainian government."
Johnson also said the UK would be joining Canada and Netherlands to set up a coalition of humanitarian, economic and defence support, which will be known as the Ukrainian Support Group.
He said: “After 12 days, it’s already clear that Putin has made a miscalculation.
“He has underestimated the Ukrainians, their heroic resistance, he has underestimated their leader, and he has under-estimated the unity of the West.
“We will continue as colleagues to do everything we can to strengthen that unity in the days ahead to ensure that Putin fails in this catastrophic invasion of Ukraine.”
Mr Trudeau added: “The focus is on the people of Ukraine and our solidarity with Ukraine. pushing back against illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine and standing up for democracies around the world.”
Johnson's comments echoed those made in a video posted on social media yesterday, in which he said the UK would continue to support Ukraine and ‘go further’ in its sanctions against Russia, promising the nation was ‘here for the long haul’.
He said: “Putin must fail. His war of aggression, his war of choice, against Ukraine is something that is bringing devastation to a wholly innocent country. He’s bombarding civilians, he’s attacking tower blocks with missiles, and it is absolutely unconscionable that democracy in Ukraine should be stamped out in this way.
“That’s why the UK has been working with friends and partners to impose the toughest possible package of economic sanctions already, the world has barely seen anything like it before, and it’s had a huge impact on the Russian economy.
“As I speak, the ruble has tanked, you’ve seen people queuing to take out their money, they’re reluctant to open the Russian stock market. They’ve taken a big hit already, but we will go further, and we will continue to support our Ukrainian friends with logistics, with lethal defensive military support for as long as it takes, and we are here for the long haul.
“I think that Vladimir Putin has made a huge miscalculation. He’s underestimated the willingness and the strength of the Ukrainians to resist. He’s underestimated President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and he’s also underestimated Western resolve and Western unity.
“We stand together to ensure that Putin must fail.”
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information.
