UK and allies pledge long-term support for Ukraine
UK Defence Secretary John Healey underlined that the support extended not only to sustaining Ukraine through the current conflict but also to strengthening its future security.
The United Kingdom and its partners have reaffirmed their commitment to stand by Ukraine both during ongoing negotiations and once a peace settlement is eventually secured, UK Defence Secretary John Healey has said.
Speaking in Kyiv ahead of a high-level meeting in Paris, Healey told the BBC that allied nations would “help make the skies safe, to make the seas safe, and to secure the land” after a peace deal is reached.
He underlined that the support extended not only to sustaining Ukraine through the current conflict but also to strengthening its future security.
Healey dismissed Russia’s latest show of defiance, following remarks from President Vladimir Putin in China that the full-scale invasion could continue. The defence secretary said Moscow was under pressure and described Putin’s words as posturing.
He also praised US President Donald Trump, noting that he had “brought Putin into talks” and “not closed off any options”, despite criticism over the cordial reception Trump gave the Russian leader last month in Alaska.
Trump, who recently said he was “disappointed” in Putin, has also threatened to impose further consequences if the Russian leader continues to resist peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Asked whether the war could be nearing an end, Putin said, “there is a certain light at the end of the tunnel,” suggesting an agreement was possible if “common sense prevails.”
However, he warned that if no acceptable solution was found, Russia would continue pursuing its objectives militarily.
Putin repeated his long-standing demands, including accusations that Kyiv discriminates against ethnic Russians, a justification he has often used since launching the invasion in February 2022.
On the question of a direct meeting with Zelensky, Putin appeared dismissive. “I have never ruled out the possibility of such a meeting. But is there any point? Let’s see,” he said in Beijing.
He even suggested Zelensky could travel to Moscow, an idea Ukraine’s foreign minister rejected as “knowingly unacceptable.”
French President Emmanuel Macron has recently accused Putin of “playing” Trump in the delicate negotiations.
But Healey emphasized that Washington has not limited its options, saying Trump “has not ruled out any further action, including economic measures, to put more pressure on Putin.”
Healey added that the UK and its allies were committed to increasing support for Ukraine’s defence. “We in the Coalition of the Willing, nations like the UK, are willing to put extra economic pressure on Putin. We’re willing to give extra aid to Ukraine so they can keep in the fight,” he said.
Highlighting recent steps, Healey announced that £1bn ($1.24bn) in seized Russian assets had been redirected to military assistance for Ukraine. “If you like, Putin’s dirty money returned with interest,” he said.
