Ukraine's allies stand at ‘moment of maximum opportunity'
The Defence Secretary said the UK and other allies must use Donald Trump's 50-day ultimatum to Vladimir Putin to start a '50-day drive' to arm Ukraine ahead of any talks, with the aim of strengthening its hand against Russia.
The US president has threatened to impose 'very severe' tariffs on Russia if it does not agree a ceasefire by September 2, 50 days on from his announcement that he would sell 'top-of-the-line' weapons to Nato that could then be given to Ukraine.
Speaking at the 29th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), Mr Healey told allies gathered from 52 nations: 'This is a moment of maximum opportunity.
'Last week, President Trump announced a new plan for large scale Nato weapons transfers, and committed to getting these, he said, quickly distributed to the battlefield.
'The UK backs this policy. We will play our full part in its success.'
Mr Healey added: 'Alongside this new agreement to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself, President Trump also started the clock on a 50-day deadline for Putin to agree to peace or to face crippling economic sanctions.
'And as members of this UDCG, we need to step up, in turn, a 50-day drive to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and to help push Putin to the negotiating table.'
The UK Defence Secretary chaired the meeting for the fourth time, also his third time co-chairing with German defence minister Boris Pistorius.
The group, which brings together defence ministers and officials from Ukraine's allies, was chaired by the US until Mr Trump came to power and began rowing back on American support for Kyiv and European security.
As the UK and Germany led calls for European allies to step up their support for Kyiv, Mr Healey said the two countries have 'agreed to partner in providing critical air defence missiles to Ukraine'.
His German counterpart Mr Pistorius, meanwhile, said the pair were involved in an initiative to replenish ammunition for anti-aircraft guns.
'We will, together with our British friends, provide 220,000 rounds of 35 millimetre ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft gun system at short notice, financed by Germany,' the German defence minister said.
The drive to step up support for Ukraine comes after the UK revealed it has spent some £150 million on air defence and artillery for the war-torn nation over the past two months.
At least £700 million will be spent on similar support over the course of the year, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Elsewhere on Monday, the Foreign Office announced 137 fresh sanctions on Russian entities, targeting the oil and gas sector.
The new sanctions target 135 oil tankers involved in Mr Putin's 'shadow fleet' operation, responsible for illicitly carrying cargo since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'New sanctions will further dismantle Putin's shadow fleet and drain Russia's war chest of its critical oil revenues.
'As Putin continues to stall and delay on serious peace talks, we will not stand idly by. We will continue to use the full might of our sanctions regime to ratchet up economic pressure at every turn and stand side by side with Ukraine.'
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