The UK, along with its allies, has invested over $1.63 billion in Ukraine through the IFU

The UK, along with other allied countries, has invested more than $1.63bn (£1.3bn) in Kiev through the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU), which was established in 2022. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom on December 19.

"The Fund is managed by the UK Ministry of Defense on behalf of an executive group consisting of the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Lithuania. The partners, along with Iceland, Australia, Portugal and New Zealand, have so far pledged more than £1.3 billion," the defense ministry said in a statement.

It is specified that the financing occurs exactly through the fund to accelerate the process of procurement of priority armed equipment for Ukraine.

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Earlier in the day, Reuters reported that the UK intends to provide Ukraine with a new aid package worth $286 million.

Prior to that, on November 29, Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Andrey Kelin said that Britain's policy of supplying the Kiev regime with long-range Storm Shadow missiles could lead to an increase in strategic risks and even a clash of nuclear powers. According to him, Britain's policy indicates its direct involvement in the Ukrainian conflict against the Russian side.

On October 22, Britain handed over an additional $155 million to support Ukraine's naval forces. According to the press service of the country's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, this initiative is carried out jointly with Norway.

On September 3, it became known that the UK and eight other allied countries that support Kiev in the current conflict have invested more than £1 billion ($1.3 billion) in the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU), which was established in 2022. It is noted that the largest contribution to the IFU in the amount of £500m was made by the UK itself. Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand also made donations.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Kiev against the background of Russia's special operation to protect Donbass, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, after the situation in the region worsened due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.