Britain Pledges New Support for Ukraine Ahead of Key Meeting of Western Allies

Britain announced on Friday a “surge in military support” for Ukraine as Western allies gathered to gather more weapons and ammunition against Russia’s invasion. A U.S. ambassador flew to Moscow to continue ceasefire efforts.

In a joint effort, Britain and Norway will spend just over $580,000,000 to purchase hundreds of thousands of military drones and radar systems as well as anti-tank weapons. They will also provide repair and maintenance contracts for Ukrainian armored vehicles to ensure they remain on the battlefield.

Rustem Umerov, Ukrainian Defense Minister, said that strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses was a major issue on the eve before the NATO meeting in Brussels. In a social media post, Rustem Umerov said that Ukraine needs to have a sufficient number of modern missile systems, such as Patriots.

“A decision must be made to provide these systems to protect our cities and towns as well as the lives of our citizens, especially against the threat posed by Russian ballistic missiles.” Umerov stated, “Our partners already have these systems.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, has renewed his calls for more Patriot missile systems after a Russian missile killed 20 people, including nine children, in his hometown a week earlier.

He said that Ukraine needed at least 10 systems that are effective against Russian ballistic rockets. Patriots is the best in this regard, he added on his Telegram channel before the meeting. “We’re counting on decisions.”

Zelenskyy attended the meeting on Friday via video link.

The war in Ukraine is now in its fourth year. The U.S. has proposed a ceasefire, which Ukraine has approved. However, Russia has blocked the proposal by imposing several conditions.

The Russians’ refusal to accept Washington’s offer has frustrated U.S. President Donald Trump and raised doubts as to whether Russian President Vladimir Putin truly wants the fighting to stop while his larger army is in the lead on the battlefield.

The Institute for the Study of War in Washington, in a late-night assessment, stated that “Russia continues using bilateral talks with the United States as a way to delay negotiations regarding the war in Ukraine. This suggests that the Kremlin is uninterested in serious peace negotiations to end the conflict.”

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said on Friday that Trump’s representative, Steve Witkoff, had returned to Moscow but did not confirm if he would meet with Putin. Witkoff is pressing the Kremlin for a truce.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that Washington is still committed to reaching a peaceful agreement, despite the fact that it has been four weeks since its ceasefire proposals were made.

It is a problem that cannot be solved by military means. Bruce described the war as a “meat grinder” on Thursday, saying that nothing else could be discussed until the killing and shooting stopped.

Ukrainian officials and analysts believe that Russia is planning to launch a new military offensive within the next few weeks in order to increase pressure and strengthen the Kremlin’s hand during negotiations.

Boris Pistorius, the German Minister of Defense, said that Germany would supply Ukraine with four IRIS T short-to-medium-range missile systems as well as thirty missiles to be used on Patriot batteries. The Netherlands is planning to provide a Hawkeye early warning airborne air defense system.

Hanno Pevkur, Estonia’s Defense Minister, said his country monitors the global armaments markets and sees opportunities to purchase more weapons and ammo by Ukraine’s supporters.

Pevkur believes that Putin may try to settle with Ukraine on May 9, the day when Russia celebrates its victory in World War II, making it even more important to strengthen Kyiv’s position right now.

He said, “This is the reason we need to accelerate deliveries as soon as possible.”

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group will meet on Friday for the 27th time. The meeting is being presided over by Britain and Germany. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is not attending a forum the United States has created and run for many years. He was supposed to participate via video.

Hegseth was in Panama for the first half of this week and returned to Washington Wednesday night.

Hegseth, at the last meeting of the contact group in February, warned Ukraine’s European supporters that the U.S. has now priorities elsewhere — Asia and America’s borders — and they would need to look after their own security and that of Ukraine in the future.

Pistorius refused to comment when asked about the U.S. pulling back from its leadership position in Ukraine. He said only that it was “a decision made by the new administration of Washington.”

He told reporters, “We are here to take the lead” and “We are willing and determined to achieve this with full responsibility, and with our allies.”