Defence Secretary John Healey will meet European counterparts in Paris today as efforts continue to bring peace to Ukraine.
In a gathering of the E5 nations – the five biggest military spenders in the Continent – Mr Healey will hold talks with the defence ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Poland.
Britain and France are leading efforts to put together a stabilisation force in Ukraine following any ceasefire to end the three-year conflict.
Speaking ahead of the E5 meeting, Mr Healey said: ‘We are at a decisive moment for the future of Ukraine and for the security of Europe.
‘The UK will continue to lead alongside our European partners and push for a just and lasting peace.
‘European nations are stepping up and as E5 nations we must take on more responsibility for European security.
‘By deepening our defence cooperation, boosting spending and enhancing our collective strength, we send a clear message. We will not waver in standing with Ukraine and defending our shared values.’
The UK is already stepping up its defence base, with the Prime Minister announcing the defence budget will increase to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, whilst the Government has also recently announced its plans to launch a new hub to provide small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with better access to the defence supply chain.
Secretary of State for Defence John Healey arrived in Downing Street yesterday to attend the weekly Cabinet meeting
The Defence Secretary also met with his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu last night (pictured), where they discussed the British-Franco plan to develop a coalition of the willing, to support Ukraine’s future security
The Defence Secretary also met with his French counterpart last night, where they discussed the British-Franco plan to develop a coalition of the willing, to support Ukraine’s future security.
They also discussed rebooting Lancaster House collaboration, with a focus on modernising the relationship, improving how our militaries work together and stepping up the relationship between our defence industries.
Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign minister said British plans to lead a stabilisation force in post-conflict Ukraine will be protecting the country’s ‘Nazi regime’.
In a bizarre outbrust from Moscow hours after Ukraine’s largest drone attack of the war struck the capital, Sergei Lavrov said: ‘What will the peacekeepers protect? The remnants of the Kyiv Nazi regime?
‘The regime adopted a series of laws exterminating Russian culture, language, media and banned the UOC [Russian Orthodox Church].’
Lavrov’s stinging attack came the day after a Russian intelligence official accused Britain of being the ‘world’s biggest warmonger’.
Speaking ahead of the E5 meeting, Mr Healey said: ‘We are at a decisive moment for the future of Ukraine and for the security of Europe’
President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House last month
Russia’s foreign minister said British plans to lead a stabilisation force in post-conflict Ukraine will be protecting the country’s ‘Nazi regime’ (pictured: Russian president Vladimir Putin)
Such remarks on successive days appeared to indicate a targeted campaign by the Kremlin to criticise the UK, which has been steadfast in its support for Ukraine.
Russian officials have also blamed all Western countries that provide arms to Ukraine for the drone attack on Moscow and other locations.
Lavrov was speaking as the UK’s Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, co-chaired a security conference in Paris with his French counterpart Thierry Burkhard.
