How much has the UK spent on Ukraine?
The government announced earlier this month it would send £1.3bn in military support to war-torn country
The UK government has been providing a range of economic, humanitarian and defensive military assistance to Ukraine since it was invaded by Russian forces earlier this year.
Boris Johnson has been one of Ukraine’s biggest champions since the invasion began in February, and earlier this month became the first world leader to address the Ukrainian parliament since the start of the conflict.
As the conflict rumbles on, how much has the UK government spent so far on assisting Ukraine?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Military aid
The government announced last week that the UK would provide £1.3bn in military support to Ukraine, including £300m of equipment already promised by Johnson at an earlier date.
The package of military aid, announced before a meeting of G7 leaders, marks the UK’s “highest rate of military spending since the end of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns” and will come from UK reserves after being agreed with the Treasury, reported The Guardian.
Military equipment sent to Ukraine includes “anti-battery radar systems to target Russian artillery, GPS jamming equipment and night-vision devices”, said the paper.
Humanitarian aid
The £1.3bn “comes on top of earlier commitments worth about £1.5bn, which included £400m in humanitarian aid”, said Sky News on 8 May. The Foreign Office has previously said it has given funding to help aid agencies “respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation” and provide “access to basic necessities and medical supplies such as medicines, syringes, dressings and wound care packs”.
Another recent breakdown of spending from the department showed that the UK has given £33.5m to the UN Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, which provides healthcare, food, and shelter to those affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, as well as funding services and legal support for women and girls experiencing sexual and gender-based violence.
The UK has given £15m to the International Federation of the Red Cross to fund life-saving assistance, while £15m has been allocated to Unicef to provide protection and support to vulnerable groups including women and children.
Some £10m has gone towards humanitarian organisations in Moldova and other border countries to protect vulnerable people fleeing the conflict and help children access education while they are away from their homes. And £20m has been allocated to assist Ukrainian refugees currently in Poland and to assist the Polish government with providing support and basic services inside Ukraine.
Financial aid
The earlier £1.5bn commitments also included £700m in additional World Bank lending, according to Sky.
In February, the government announced a three-year package of Official Development Assistance, worth £100m, designed to “bolster the most vulnerable parts of the Ukrainian economy and reduce Ukraine’s reliance on gas imports”.
It has also put a cash injection of $100m (£74m) into the Ukrainian government’s budget, to “mitigate financial pressures” caused by the ongoing invasion. The money will go towards supporting “public sector salaries, social protection, and core services”, according to a House of Commons briefing on 22 April on aid given to Ukraine.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The history of Donald Trump's election conspiracy theories
The Explainer How the 2024 Republican nominee has consistently stoked baseless fears of a stolen election
By David Faris Published
-
Two ancient cities have been discovered along the Silk Road
Under the radar The discovery changed what was known about the old trade route
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
'People shouldn't have to share the road with impaired drivers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The North Korean troops readying for deployment in Ukraine
The Explainer Third country wading into conflict would be 'the first step to a world war' Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned
By The Week UK Published
-
Experts call for a Nato bank to 'Trump-proof' military spending
Under The Radar A new lender could aid co-operation and save millions of pounds, say think tanks
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel's wars: is an end in sight – or is this just the beginning?
Today's Big Question Lack of wider strategic vision points to 'sustained low-intensity war' on multiple fronts
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
Middle East crisis: is there really a diplomatic path forward?
Today's Big Question Recent escalation between Israel and Hezbollah might have dented US influence in the conflict
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
What happens if Russia declares war on Nato?
Today's Big Question Fears are growing after Vladimir Putin's 'unusually specific warning' to Western governments
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Missile escalation: will long-range rockets make a difference to Ukraine?
Today's Big Question Kyiv is hoping for permission to use US missiles to strike deep into Russian territory
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Atesh: the Ukrainian partisans taking on Russia
Under The Radar Underground resistance fighters are risking their lives to defend their country
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
'Second only to a nuclear bomb' – the controversial arms Russia is using in Ukraine
The Explainer Thermobaric bombs 'capable of vaporising human bodies' have been used against Ukraine
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published