New UK Defense Minister visits Odesa on first trip abroad and promises more support

Kyiv:

Britain’s new defense minister pledged on Sunday to deliver more artillery weapons, ammunition and missiles to Ukraine, underlining London’s continued support for Kiev during a visit to the southern city of Odesa.

John Healey, appointed defense minister on Friday by new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, was visiting the port city, a frequent target of Russian missile and drone attacks, on his first international trip.

“There may have been a change of government, but the United Kingdom is united behind Ukraine,” Healey said, according to a statement published by the British Ministry of Defense.

Healey promised a new package of assistance, including artillery weapons, 250,000 rounds of ammunition, demining vehicles, small military boats, missiles and other equipment, the Defense Ministry said.

In Odesa, he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

“Our commitment to supporting the Ukrainian people is absolute.”

Traveling to Odesa, Secretary of Defense @JohnHealey_MP met with the president @ZelenskyyUa to confirm Britain’s firm commitment to Ukraine will be reinvigorated by the new UK Government.

https://t.co/8WrIagKcy3pic.twitter.com/XjxMQJqOoh

— Ministry of Defense (@DefenceHQ) July 7, 2024

I met with the UK’s newly appointed Secretary of State for Defence. We discussed the implementation of the security agreement and the preparation of a future 100-year cooperation agreement between Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

Our defense cooperation allows the Ukrainian… pic.twitter.com/IPo3Eqbdio

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 7, 2024

London has been one of Kiev’s staunchest supporters since the Russian invasion in February 2022.

Zelensky posted images showing Healey laying flowers at a memorial to mark Ukrainian Navy Day.

He said he had briefed Healey and Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans – who also took office last week – on the situation on the battlefield.

In the capital Kiev over the weekend, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp promised to start sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine “without delay.”

Britain’s Healey also said a major UK aid package announced in April would be delivered “in full to Ukraine within the next 100 days”.

Kiev has regularly complained about the late arrival of Western military supplies, which are vital for its undermanned and unarmed forces fighting the Russian invasion.

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