Liz Truss pledges to spend £2.3billion next year on military aid to help Ukraine fight off Russia’s invasion

Liz Truss has committed to spend at least £2.3billion next year on military aid to help Ukraine as the country continues to fight off Russia’s invasion.

The Prime Minister pledged the UK will match or exceed the record support given to Volodymyr Zelensky’s “inspirational” troops.

Ms Truss made the announcement as she prepared to fly to New York to attend the United Nations summit. She is expected to use the summit to rally support in helping Ukraine fend off Russia.

She will also try to rally world leaders to end energy dependence on Mr Putin’s gas as he turns the taps off on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

What did the PM say?

The Prime Minister said before departing for the US: “By turning off the taps of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, Putin has consigned millions of people in Europe to a colder and more difficult winter.

“Too many lives – in Ukraine, in Europe and around the world – are being manipulated by a dependence on Russian energy. We need to work together to end this once and for all.”

Ms Truss praised the success of Mr Zelensky’s troops in seizing back around 3,000 square kilometres that had been captured by the Russians, and pledged to at least match last year’s military aid.

She said: “Ukraine’s victories in recent weeks have been inspirational. Time and time again these brave people have defied the doubters and showed what they can do when given the military, economic and political support they need.

“My message to the people of Ukraine is this: the UK will continue to be right behind you every step of the way. Your security is our security.”

Why does the PM want to send more military aid?

Ms Truss’s official spokesman said she will warn allies at the New York summit that now is not the time to “take our foot off the gas” in opposing Mr Putin’s war.

The spokesman added: “Quite the opposite, she will be very clear that UK support to Ukraine will not falter,” he added.

“We will continue to act to restore sovereignty and self determination to Ukraine. Because this isn’t just Ukraine’s fight, the whole world suffers when a regime like Putin’s is allowed to bully and blackmail its neighbours.”

The spending commitment was not based on the real terms figure taking inflation into account - but Ms Truss was not ruling out spending more.

In 2022, Britain was second only to the US in terms of military aid sent to Ukraine.