UK announces $31 million social recovery aid package for Ukraine
Announced during Foreign Secretary David Lammy's visit to Kyiv, the program is a collaboration between the UK, Ukraine's government, UNICEF, and the World Bank.
Through the funding, the support will 'help Ukraine to meet the varied needs of the population, and accelerate Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic pathway,' the statement read.
The SPIRIT initiative will concentrate on three key priorities: expanding access to quality social services, with at least 10,000 families in ten regions benefiting; establishing an Office of Social Recovery under Ukraine's Ministry of Social Policy to coordinate reforms and international partnerships; and launching cross-sectoral initiatives in health, economy, and social services to support vulnerable groups.
The program will also provide small grants and training for 100 civil society and local community representatives to expand service delivery and create a sustainable social support system.
With a focus on women, families with children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and veterans, SPIRIT aims to strengthen Ukraine's institutional capacity to manage the social and economic challenges caused by the war.
'Investing in Ukraine's social systems is an investment in Ukraine's people - and we know that Ukraine's people are its greatest resource,' Martin Harris, UK Ambassador to Ukraine, said of the program.
Read also: Ukraine expecting important decisions at Ramstein meeting, Foreign Ministry says
We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
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In May 2025, BRICS trade ministers adopted a declaration calling for strengthening the multilateral trading system, while also raising concerns about trade-distorting measures and outlining three shared priorities: World Trade Organization, or WTO, reform; renewal of the BRICS 2030 Economic Partnership Strategy; and development of the digital economy. This policy acceleration builds on BRICS' membership expansions, which strategically brought in key trade partners to deepen trade within and beyond the bloc, and the 2024 launch of an informal consultative framework that created a platform for coordinating BRICS positions within the WTO. Beyond trade coordination, BRICS is expanding its geopolitical reach by building a broader coalition of like-minded states. In global governance, scale confers influence, but impact depends on mobilizing a critical mass of states to reshape global norms and institutions. 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