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The UK’s immediate support for Ukraine and the longer-term partnership between our two countries both top of the agenda in Foreign Secretary’s visit to Kyiv.
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New UK support totalling £55m will boost resilience and growth in the UK and Ukraine.
Visiting Kyiv today, David Lammy will see first-hand how UK support is putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position as it enters its fourth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Delivering on commitments made to President Zelenskyy by Prime Minister Keir Starmer two weeks ago, the UK is providing £3 million for deliveries of Ukrainian grain and other food produce to Syria.
Working with the World Food Programme, this planned support will provide a lifeline to the most vulnerable in Syria unlike Russian grain supplies to the brutal Assad regime which attempted to buy favour, loading costly debt on the Syrian state.
These malign efforts from Russia often likely used produce from illegally occupied Ukrainian land. Russia is estimated to be taking 4.3 million tonnes of grain each year from temporarily occupied territories. It comes after the Prime Minister announced a new Grain Verification Scheme to track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories last month. The UK developed the new scheme following an ask from Ukraine to the G7 to help trace snatched grain from Ukraine fields under Russian control, which is then relabelled and sold on.
Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian port infrastructure and ships in the Black Sea, delaying vital food and aid from reaching the global south. These attacks hinder food supplies from reaching the most in need and help drive up food and fuel prices around the world.
However, Ukraine’s navy continues to fight back, having destroyed or damaged roughly one quarter of the Black Sea Fleet’s major combatant vessels, denying Russia control of the western Black Sea.
As part of the Foreign Secretary’s visit, he will meet with President Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Sybiha, Prime Minister Shmyhal, and Deputy Prime Minister Stefanishyna, to reiterate the UK’s ongoing support and discuss first-hand how the UK and international partners can put Ukraine into the strongest position possible.
In his second official visit to Kyiv, Mr Lammy will announce £17 million for innovative energy projects to support the recovery and sustainability of Ukraine’s energy system. The InnovateUkraine competition will spur collaborations between British, Ukrainian and international businesses and research institutions to find the resilient, scalable and sustainable energy solutions of the future.
Despite relentless Russian attacks on their energy system, Ukrainians have shown that with the right support and international collaboration, they can use ingenuity and innovation to keep the lights on and defend themselves against Russia’s illegal invasion. Producing clean, reliable and affordable energy is a vital part of the struggle for Ukraine’s freedom and its defense against Russian attempts to use energy as a weapon.
Shoring up Ukraine’s private sector and the resilience of small and medium businesses, the new economic recovery programme, announced by the Prime Minister as part of the 100 Year Partnership, will receive a £10 million boost to help renew, rebuild and reform Ukraine’s economy for the future.
Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:
Our support for Ukraine remains unbreakable. We are determined to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, both in its fight against Russia and beyond, with our long-term relationship cemented by the 100 Year Partnership.
We believe in building for the future between our two countries, as well as supporting Ukraine in the present, as Russia’s barbaric and relentless attacks on vital infrastructure, communities, and businesses continue. That is why we are announcing more support for innovation in Ukraine, to rebuild a more resilient and sustainable society for years to come.
Delivering change at home, against the backdrop of an increasingly volatile world, means we must bolster the resilience of our partners.
A further £25 million of UK funding will support Ukraine to strengthen more inclusive, effective and efficient social systems and services. We will work with Ukraine to revitalise family and community-based services that meet the needs of women, children, people with disabilities and marginalised groups and ensure a safe and loving family for every child.
The UK’s SPIRIT programme will bolster Ukraine’s resilience against Russian aggression by helping Ukraine build a more resilient, prosperous and barrier-free future for all.
Announcements made today will open up opportunities for British business, by harnessing UK expertise, creating trade and investment opportunities, and building links between the UK and Ukraine for years to come.
Support announced today builds on the UK’s strong record as a leading bilateral donor, having committed £977 million in support, including £477 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and the region since the start of the full-scale invasion. We will provide £282 million in support for 2024-25, in addition to the Prime Minister’s commitment to provide £3billion of military support to Ukraine, this year and for as long as it takes.
Background
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More information on the UK’s support to Ukraine can be found here
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More information on the 100 Year Partnership can be found here
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The UK provided £35 million in emergency support for energy and most vulnerable in Ukraine in December
