New British defense chief says new Labor government will sustain Ukraine support

Britain’s newly installed defense chief said the country’s military support for Ukraine won’t diminish following the recent parliamentary elections that saw the center-left Labor Party’s return to power after nearly 15 years in opposition.

On Sunday, British Defense Secretary John Healey met with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy during a visit to Odesa, less than 48 hours after his appointment. He announced that the government of new Prime Minister Keir Starmer would step up support for Ukraine by immediately providing more artillery, a quarter of a million artillery rounds, and nearly 100 precision Brimstone ground attack missiles.

“Our commitment to stand with the Ukrainian people is absolute, as is our resolve to confront Russian aggression and pursue [Russian President Vladimir] Putin for his war crimes,” Mr. Healey said in a statement. “The government is steadfast in our commitment to continue supplying military assistance and will stand shoulder to shoulder with our Ukrainian friends for as long as it takes.”

Mr. Healey told British defense officials to accelerate the delivery of a military assistance package to Ukraine announced in April by the previous Conservative government. It will provide Kyiv with 400 vehicles, 1,600 strike and air-defense missiles, 4 million rounds of ammunition and 60 boats, including off-shore raiding craft, British officials said.

“The recent milestone of 500,000 Russians killed or wounded is a reminder of how badly this war has gone for Russia. Over the past year, with British help, Ukraine has driven the Russian fleet from Crimea and reopened the Black Sea for exports,” Adm. Tony Radakin, the U.K.’s chief of the Defense Staff, said Sunday. “The battle on land is much tougher, but Ukraine’s future as a sovereign nation is not in doubt.”