LONDON, Jan 9 (Reuters) – Britain said it was allocating 200 million pounds ($270 million) to fund preparations for the possible deployment of troops to Ukraine, after pledging its soldiers this week to a multinational force for the country in the event of a ceasefire.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday agreed a declaration of intent at a summit of the “coalition of the willing” of Ukraine’s allies, outlining a potential future deployment.
Visiting the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday, British defence minister John Healey said the money would be spent on upgrading vehicles and communication systems and counter-drone protection, as well as ensuring troops are ready to deploy.
Britain made the announcement hours after Russia fired a powerful hypersonic missile, in what Kyiv’s European allies described as an attempt to intimidate them from supporting Ukraine.
Macron has said France could send thousands of troops to the Multinational Force for Ukraine (MNFU), aimed at firming up security guarantees to reassure Kyiv. Britain has not said how many troops it would send; Starmer said on Wednesday Britain’s plans were still being finalised.
Healey said the funding announcement for the MNFU showed the government was “surging investment” into preparations for Ukraine.
“This capital spending is being funded from the core defence budget and sends a clear signal to allies and adversaries of the UK’s intent to lead the MNFU, (and) fulfil our promises to secure the peace in Ukraine,” the statement from the Ministry of Defence said.
Healey also told Zelenskiy that production of Octopus interceptor drones, based on a Ukrainian design but made in Britain, would start in January. Britain will send thousands of them back to Ukraine each month to help the country defend itself against Russian drone attacks.
($1 = 0.7447 pounds)
(Reporting by Sarah Young)
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