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LONDON, 19th December (PTI) UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reaffirmed the UK’s support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia and announced a new defense aid package for the new year at the European summit in Riga, Latvia, as a £250 million contract.
The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) meeting brought together 10 like-minded nations to prevent conflict in the Nordic and Baltic regions, and Sunak called on regional leaders to maintain or exceed 2022 levels of support for Ukraine in 2023 with military aid, economic resilience and political support.
The United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway participated in the JEF meeting, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy also delivered a speech.
Sunak said: “From the Arctic Circle to the Isle of Wight, the UK and our European allies have acted in unison in response to the invasion of Ukraine, and we are once again resolute in our ambition for peace in Europe.”
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“But to achieve peace, we must deter aggression, and our shared presence in the region is critical to ensuring we can respond to the gravest threats. I know this Joint Expeditionary Force summit will only underscore our close friendship and commitment to Ukraine.” Unwavering support,” he said.
The British India leader’s call came as Britain announced next year that it would supply “hundreds of thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition” under a £250m contract that would ensure a continuous supply of critical artillery ammunition to Ukraine throughout 2023 .
Britain claims to be the main provider of European defense assistance to Ukraine, including multiple rocket launchers and, most recently, 125 anti-aircraft guns. It has also provided more than 100,000 rounds of ammunition since February, the deliveries of which were directly related to the successful retake of Ukrainian territory.
“As far as we are in the UK, we have committed to providing aid equal to or exceeding the £2.3 billion we have delivered this year and next, and I very much hope and encourage others in this room to do what they can to continue the strong support,” Suna said. K added.
At the summit, the leaders are said to have discussed the defense capabilities that the Ukrainian military needs, including further air defense capabilities. Also on the agenda are plans to accelerate cooperation among JEF nations, enhance intelligence sharing, strengthen defenses against blended threats, and protect critical national infrastructure.
As part of the enhanced cooperation, the allies also discussed supporting Finland and Sweden ahead of their entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as expanding joint exercises to further strengthen the JEF alliance.
After the JEF summit, Sunak plans to hold bilateral talks with newly appointed Latvian Prime Minister Krišjanis Karinš, emphasizing the close partnership between the two countries, before heading to Estonia, where he will meet British and NATO forces serving on NATO’s eastern flank.
In Estonia, Sunak plans to sign a new technology partnership with Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Downing Street said the joint partnership would help the UK and Estonia strengthen technological ties and support new digital infrastructure, drawing on shared expertise between the two countries.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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