LONDON: The United Kingdom will allocate an additional USD 100 million in support to Kyiv amid Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine, Downing Street said on Monday.
“The new USD 100m funding announced today comes on top of the UK training 22,000 soldiers, supplying 2,000 anti-tank missiles, providing £100 million for economic reform and energy independence, and providing £120 million of humanitarian aid including £25 million of match funding to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal,” Downing Street said.
According to the British government, the new grant can be used to support the public sector and social safety nets. The aid will be provided through the World Bank.
Meanwhile, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday that Congress was going to enact USD 10 billion in humanitarian, military and economic support for Ukraine this week.
In the early hours of February 24, Russia launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against Kyiv forces. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine and that only military infrastructure is being targeted. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the goal is to protect the people of Donbas, “who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.”
In response to Russia’s operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow which includes airspace closures and restrictive measures targeting numerous Russian officials and entities, media, and financial institutions. (ANI/Sputnik)