UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has vowed to go further and faster in supporting Ukraine's recovery during her visit to Kyiv, where she met families and defence officials. The trip underscores Britain's continued commitment to Ukraine amid Russia's full-scale invasion.
Chancellor's Visit to Kyiv
Reeves visited a UK-supported centre for the rehabilitation of children with disabilities and met with Ukraine's Minister of Defence, Mykhailo Fedorov, alongside British and Ukrainian defence companies. She paid her respects at the memorial wall at St Michael's Square, where destroyed military vehicles are displayed, and saw damage at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of Europe's holiest sites, which was significantly damaged during a major Russian attack earlier this month.
UK Support and Funding
Speaking during the visit, Reeves said: "The UK's support for Ukraine is ironclad. I'm proud to visit Kyiv to see the benefits of UK investment. Our partnership is not only helping Ukraine on the battlefield, but providing the financial firepower to build back stronger, help vulnerable people and protect critical infrastructure. Ukraine's security is Europe's security and we will continue to support the people of Ukraine."
The Chancellor's visit follows discussions at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk, where the UK announced over £290 million of support for Ukraine's resilience and energy security through bilateral assistance and a UK Export Finance (UKEF) backed deal, on top of the latest $1 billion of UK fiscal support.
Total UK Commitments
In total, the UK has committed up to £25 billion for Ukraine: £16 billion in military support, up to £5.6 billion in non-military support, and £3.5 billion in UK export finance. This funding has enabled more than 28,000 households and businesses to keep their lights and heating on over winter and is helping to protect 25% of Ukraine's national energy infrastructure from further attacks.
The UK continues to bear down on the Kremlin, having sanctioned over 3,400 Russia-linked targets, while supporting Ukraine's long-term prosperity.
Ongoing Ukrainian Operations
This week, Ukraine stepped up attacks on Russian positions in illegally annexed Crimea in a bid to cut it off from mainland Russia. Kyiv's special forces linked up with Crimea resistance fighters to destroy a key logistics bridge in Crimea and more than 60 Russian military targets.
