Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 September 2024.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy is visiting Kyiv today, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, to demonstrate Western support for Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.

• Foreign Secretary David Lammy is visiting Kyiv today [11 September], with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to demonstrate Western support for Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression
• together, they are 2 of the first to meet with new ministers
• the UK announces at least £242 million of funding to support Ukraine in the face of relentless Russian attacks, and the deployment of $484 million of fiscal support and military equipment deliveries

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will reiterate united UK and US support for Ukraine in a joint visit to Kyiv today. This is the first ever joint visit by a UK Foreign Secretary and a US Secretary of State, highlighting the UK and US’s unshakeable resolve to support Ukraine.

The pair were seeing first-hand the enduring resilience of Ukraine’s defence of its borders and independence and were due to meet with President Zelenskyy, and Foreign Minister Sybiha, becoming the first foreign ministers to meet with their new counterpart.

In his first visit as Foreign Secretary, Mr Lammy will announce at least £600 million worth of support to Ukraine against Putin’s illegal invasion. The Prime Minister Keir Starmer committed to £3 billion a year of military support for Ukraine for as long as needed earlier this year.

This confirms the £242 million announced for 2024 to 2025 for immediate humanitarian, energy and stabilisation needs as well as support to reforms, recovery and reconstruction. As Russian missile and drone attacks continue to kill civilians and destroy vital infrastructure, the commitment will ensure support to the most vulnerable in Ukraine, as well as support for longer-term economic, reconstruction and energy needs.

The Foreign Secretary also announced the intention to deploy $484 million worth of loan guarantees for World Bank lending before the end of the year, to bolster Ukraine’s economic stability. It will support vital public services, including keeping schools and hospitals open, paying civil servants, and funding pensions. The loan guarantee, delivered by the World Bank, is the second deployment of the $3 billion package the UK committed at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London last year.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

The UK’s support to Ukraine is unwavering. Our commitment of over £600 million worth of support is the latest installment in our enduring support to Ukraine. This will provide vital support to Ukrainians as they continue to endure relentless Russian attacks.

It is a privilege to be one of the first to meet my new counterparts. The bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people is inspiring. Alongside the United States, we are committed to giving Ukraine what it needs to resist Russia’s illegal invasion. Their fight for freedom, liberty and democracy is also a fight for British security, European security, and global security. With the US, we stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

This year’s bilateral funding includes £100 million of humanitarian funding which will support the most vulnerable Ukrainians, including those living in communities at the frontline of relentless Russian attacks and those displaced to neighbouring countries and communities. This includes helps to evacuate, emergency responses to Russian missile attacks across Ukraine, and life-saving help for displaced persons.

A further £20 million will double this year’s support to essential repairs and protection to the power network, restore access to vital power supplies and strengthen Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Ongoing UK support has funded rooftop solar panels to power hospitals, back-up generators to keep the lights on, and power generation equipment in Kharkiv and Odesa. As Ukrainians continue to live through black-outs, and vital services are left without power, UK support to bolster Ukraine’s energy system will Ukraine keep the lights on.

£40 million will fund stabilisation and early recovery, to ensure Ukraine not only wins the war, but can make a head-start on winning the peace. This funding includes vital assistance to Ukraine to resist Russian aggression, support to stabilise newly liberated territories, and funding to support work to hold those responsible to account for war crimes committed in Ukraine.

Whilst in Kyiv the Foreign Secretary was due to attend the International Crimea Platform’s annual summit to demonstrate international unity in condemning Putin’s illegal annexation of Crimea 10 years ago. The UK and international partners are united in efforts to restore Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Foreign Secretary will also announce the first investment into Ukraine by British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institute under the G7 initiated Ukraine Investment Platform. This £30 million of support to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)’s Trade Facilitation Programme will support trade flows of critical goods, including food, in Ukraine. This is the first allocation of funding of the £250 million of capital to BII that the UK announced at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London last year.

The Defence Secretary has also today confirmed, as part of the Government’s commitment to ramp up and speed up deliveries of military support for Ukraine, that support announced in April – including air defence missiles, equipment for F16 fighter jets, AS90 self-propelled guns and spare barrels, military boats, and maritime guns – have now been delivered.

On top of this, the Defence Secretary has today also announced that hundreds of additional air defence missiles, tens of thousands of additional artillery ammunition rounds, and more armoured vehicles will be delivered to Ukraine by the end of the year.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

This government’s support for Ukraine is ironclad. On our second day in office I promised President Zelenskyy we would speed up UK deliveries of military aid – and we are delivering on that commitment.

Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on Ukraine’s people and infrastructure, often far behind the front line, highlights the urgent need to continue stepping up our support to Ukraine. So I am pleased to confirm additional aid will reach Ukraine by the end of this year.

Meeting with my Ukrainian counterpart in London last week and with 50 nations at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Germany, I made clear that UK support will continue for as long as it takes. We stand united in the face of Putin’s illegal war. The defence of the UK and Europe starts in Ukraine.

John Healey made the commitment to speed up deliveries on his second day as Defence Secretary when he visited Odesa and spent the afternoon with President Zelenskyy.

Background

• since February 2022, the UK has provided £695 million on bilateral non-military support, alongside $2.5 billion in fiscal support (loan guarantees), which will rise to $5 billion by 2027

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 September 2024.

UK statement for the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Sudan.

Mr President,

The situation in Sudan is beyond devastating. The Fact-Finding Mission’s report is a harrowing read and makes clear the importance of keeping Sudan on the Human Rights Council’s agenda.

As the High Commissioner said yesterday, over 20,000 are estimated to have been killed and indiscriminate killings have continued unabated.

The Rapid Support Forces have carried out attacks against civilians and perpetrated widespread sexual violence. The fighting has meant famine is now taking hold in many parts of the country. And because of this appalling human rights situation, almost 11 million people have fled their homes – across the country or pouring into neighbouring states.

However, both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces continue to seek a military outcome to this conflict. There is little sign of peace and violations continue relentlessly. Despite recent efforts to open humanitarian corridors, people are desperate for food, medical supplies, and basic services.

Mr President,

The Fact-Finding Mission is the only independent investigative body documenting and reporting these violations. Their work must continue to ensure justice for these victims.

We call on both parties to adhere to their obligations under international law. The Sudanese people are calling for peace, for reconciliation and for accountability. We must work together to answer that call.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 September 2024.

Foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom gave a statement following Iran’s export and Russia’s procurement of Iranian ballistic missiles.

Statement by Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany:

The governments of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom strongly condemn Iran’s export and Russia’s procurement of Iranian ballistic missiles. This is a further escalation of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and will see Iranian missiles reaching European soil, increasing the suffering of the Ukrainian people. This act is an escalation by both Iran and Russia, and is a direct threat to European security.

The E3 has privately and publicly been clear that we would take new and significant measures against Iran if the transfers took place. We now have confirmation that Iran has made these transfers. We will be taking immediate steps to cancel bilateral air services agreements with Iran. In addition, we will pursue the designations of significant entities and individuals involved with Iran’s ballistic missile programme and the transfer of ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia. We will also work towards imposing sanctions on Iran Air.

The E3 are closely coordinating our strong response to these transfers with our European and international partners. We call on Iran to immediately cease all support to Russia’s war against Ukraine and halt the development and transfers of its ballistic missiles.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 September 2024.

UK Statement for the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on Afghanistan as delivered at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s longstanding commitment to shedding light on the human rights situation in Afghanistan. We are deeply disappointed by the Taliban’s decision to ban him from the country.

We have all watched in horror and sadness as the Taliban restrict the rights of women and girls across every sphere of their lives. The latest vice and virtue edicts are appalling. They extend the already severe restrictions and systematic oppression to which Afghan women and girls have been subjected. As our Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has said, these laws mark another tragic setback for the country.

Mr President, these restrictions are unjust. The sound of a woman’s voice is deemed a moral violation, their bare faces are banned in public, and they are forbidden to look at men to whom they are not related. The impact on women’s wellbeing and livelihoods is unimaginable.

The UK will not stop fighting for the rights of women and girls and will continue to find ways to support them in Afghanistan.

Special Rapporteur,

The Taliban must reverse this edict.

How can we support women and girls in Afghanistan now they are effectively banned from public spaces?

Thank you.