No. 10 Downing Avenue mentioned Monday night that the U.Okay. would now be sending £3 billion in army assist to Ukraine this yr — a £500 million enhance on previously-announced funds. The additional money might be spent on much-need ammunition and air protection methods for Ukraine.
“Ukraine’s armed forces proceed to combat bravely, however they want our assist — and so they want it now,” Sunak mentioned. “The UK will at all times play its half on the forefront of European safety.”
Sunak will surely bristle at any suggestion from Berlin that Britain is just not pulling its weight.
The U.Okay. has lengthy been Europe’s main army energy, whereas Germany’s armed forces have been in a parlous state earlier than Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — and stay so, regardless of the rise in spending.
“Sadly, I’ve to say that the Bundeswehr nonetheless has too little of every little thing,” Eva Högl, Germany’s parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, mentioned final month. “There’s a lack of ammunition, spare elements and radio gear. There may be nonetheless an absence of tanks, ships and airplanes.”
A U.Okay. official mentioned any overt strain from Scholz would “elevate eyebrows” in London, observing that whereas many in Westminster settle for the necessity to increase U.Okay. protection funding, the Germans “additionally want to drag their socks up.”
