UK pledges £540m weapons package for Ukraine as Britain commits fresh military support including US-made interceptors and 1,000 lightweight missiles to strengthen Kyiv’s air defences.
The UK pledges £540m weapons package for Ukraine at a critical juncture in the war, as Russian drone strikes batter energy infrastructure and leave hundreds of thousands without power.
The announcement came ahead of a meeting of the 50-nation Ukraine Contact Group, which coordinates international military assistance to Kyiv following another night of nationwide attacks.
Britain said £150m of the package would fund the purchase of US-made interceptors through Nato’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List, known as Purl, marking its first use.
The remaining £390m will supply 1,000 Lightweight Multirole Missiles manufactured in Belfast, aimed at reinforcing Ukraine’s strained air defence systems against relentless aerial bombardment.
Arriving in Brussels, UK defence secretary John Healey confirmed the commitment, declaring Britain would provide “an extra half a billion pounds in urgent air defence to Ukraine.”
The move underscores Britain’s continued backing for Kyiv as Russian forces intensify drone and missile assaults targeting electricity, heating and water facilities during freezing winter conditions.
In the southern port city of Odesa, nearly 300,000 residents were left without power or water after overnight strikes damaged infrastructure and residential buildings, officials said.
Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that about 3,500 buildings in the capital were without heating after attacks disrupted electricity supplies to thousands of high-rise apartments.
In Dnipro, regional authorities said four people were injured, including a baby and a four-year-old child, after drones struck residential areas during the widespread assault.
Ukraine’s energy firm DTEK said one of its thermal power plants suffered extensive damage, describing it as the eleventh large-scale attack on company facilities since October 2025.
Foreign minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the strikes, arguing they undermine diplomatic efforts and insisting Russia must be forced “to take diplomacy seriously and de-escalate.”
The United Nations echoed those concerns, with rights chief Volker Turk calling on Moscow to immediately cease attacks on civilian energy infrastructure prohibited under international law.
Turk said the relentless bombardment was depriving civilians of warmth, water and electricity in temperatures plunging as low as minus 20C during the harsh winter.
Despite the escalation, the Kremlin signalled that further peace negotiations could take place soon, following recent US-led talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Abu Dhabi.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was “a certain understanding” regarding details of a potential third round of discussions, though no breakthrough has yet emerged.
While Ukraine reels from infrastructure damage, divisions persist within Europe over the scale and duration of financial and military support for Kyiv.
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán argued that Europe should stop sending money to Ukraine if it wants to boost its own economic competitiveness.
“Don’t send your money to somebody else if you need it for your competitiveness,” Orbán told reporters as he arrived for informal EU discussions in Belgium.
His comments come as EU leaders gather at Alden Biesen Castle for a retreat focused on economic revival amid tariff threats from the United States and competition from China.
European officials described the setting as conducive to frank exchanges, though no formal decisions are expected at the informal summit of the 27 member states.
At Nato headquarters in Brussels, US undersecretary for war Elbridge Colby struck a conciliatory tone, urging the United States and Europe to “march out together.”
Colby said the alliance’s future should be based on partnership rather than dependency, referencing last year’s agreement for European members to increase defence spending.
The pledge that the UK pledges £540m weapons package for Ukraine also reflects broader Nato efforts to rebalance responsibilities while maintaining collective deterrence against Russia.
Britain’s decision to utilise the Purl mechanism highlights shifting dynamics after Washington signalled it would no longer directly donate certain weapons systems.
Under the scheme, European allies can collectively fund purchases of US equipment to sustain Ukraine’s air defence capabilities against drones and ballistic missiles.
Analysts say bolstering interceptors is critical as Russia increasingly relies on mass drone swarms designed to overwhelm defensive systems and exhaust ammunition stockpiles.
Lightweight Multirole Missiles, designed for rapid deployment against aerial threats, are expected to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to counter low-flying drones targeting urban centres.
The timing of the package also carries political weight, demonstrating Britain’s resolve ahead of high-level Nato and EU meetings addressing both security and economic pressures.
Meanwhile, Norway saw unrelated but dramatic developments as police searched properties linked to former prime minister Thorbjørn Jagland in an Epstein-related corruption investigation.
Jagland’s lawyer described the searches as standard investigative procedure following the lifting of his diplomatic immunity by the Council of Europe.
Back in Ukraine, officials warned that repeated strikes on power grids risk compounding humanitarian suffering as communities struggle with outages during freezing nights.
Emergency crews in Odesa battled fires that engulfed markets and residential blocks, leaving charred debris scattered across streets by morning.
Images from Kyiv showed explosions lighting up the skyline as air defences attempted to intercept incoming drones and missiles during the protracted assault.
Ukraine’s government maintains that sustained international military support remains essential to protect civilians and critical infrastructure from further devastation.
As the UK pledges £540m weapons package for Ukraine, the broader strategic question remains whether increased defensive aid can shift the conflict’s trajectory.
Diplomatic channels remain open, yet the persistence of large-scale attacks suggests Moscow continues to apply pressure while talks inch forward without resolution.
For now, Britain’s latest commitment signals that Western backing for Kyiv’s air defences remains firm despite economic strains and political debate across Europe.
With winter deepening and infrastructure under siege, the coming weeks will test both Ukraine’s resilience and the cohesion of its international supporters.
