The British government has announced a new £450 million military support package for Ukraine, as UK Defence Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, co-chaired a high-level meeting of 50 nations in Brussels on Friday.
The Ukraine Defence Contact Group, traditionally led by the US, gathered with the aim of increasing international pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and reinforcing Ukraine’s defences amid escalating conflict.
“We must step up to deter Russian aggression by continuing to bolster Ukraine’s defences,” Healey said, describing 2025 as a “critical year” in the war. “We cannot jeopardise peace by forgetting the war, which is why today’s major package will surge support to Ukraine’s front-line fight.”
The new aid includes more than £250 million for advanced radar systems, anti-tank mines, and hundreds of thousands of drones. An additional £160 million will be allocated to repair and maintain vehicles and equipment previously supplied to Ukraine. Roughly £350 million will come directly from the UK government, with supplementary funding provided by Norway through the UK-led International Fund for Ukraine.
The move follows recent criticism over waning Western resolve and increasing battlefield challenges for Ukrainian forces. Last month, Prime Minister Keir Starmer committed to a £1.6 billion missile deal for Kyiv and backed a £2.2 billion loan to support military aid, funded by profits from frozen Russian assets.
Despite these efforts, the Liberal Democrats labelled the latest support as “small change,” calling on the government to seize Russian-owned assets in the UK to finance greater assistance. “While we welcome any increase in support for Ukraine, this package is small change compared to what’s needed to combat Putin’s barbaric war,” said Lib Dem defence spokeswoman Helen Maguire.
Friday’s Brussels summit was also attended virtually by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting came on the heels of a separate assembly of 30 defence ministers from the Franco-British-led “coalition of the willing,” who discussed the possible deployment of a future peacekeeping presence in Ukraine.
Though Defence Secretary Healey ruled out a force to “separate the currently warring sides,” he emphasized the need to strengthen Ukraine’s military as a cornerstone of ensuring long-term peace.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed the complexity of such plans, raising questions about the role of any potential peacekeeping mission. “If we have such boots on the ground, what is the goal? Are they monitoring, deterring, keeping peace, or fighting? That’s not really clear,” she told BBC Radio 4.
Meanwhile, US diplomatic efforts led by special envoy Steve Witkoff are reportedly ongoing. Witkoff arrived in Russia on Friday for talks with Putin, as reported by Axios. The US had previously proposed a temporary ceasefire—agreed to by Kyiv—but dismissed by Moscow, which limited its offer to halting attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
On the battlefield, Ukraine’s military leadership reported a 30% increase in Russian assaults along the front lines, signaling the onset of a potential spring offensive. Tens of thousands of Russian troops are believed to be massing along the border.
On Thursday, Russia launched waves of drone attacks on the Kharkiv region, injuring at least four people, according to regional authorities. Ukrainian drones were also reportedly intercepted over Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions.
Ukrainian President Zelensky recently confirmed for the first time that Ukrainian troops are active inside Russia’s Belgorod region. Fighting has also been reported in the Kursk region, although Moscow claims to have retaken most of the territory.
