Ukraine and the UK conclude a historic deal to supply Ukraine with 5,000 Thales air defense missiles. The U.S. joined the \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d meetings for the first time. The EU Commission President announces a new fund for Ukraine reconstruction.<\/p>\n
Ukraine, UK conclude historic deal to supply Ukraine with 5,000 Thales air defense missiles<\/strong><\/p>\n The UK and Ukraine will on Thursday sign a previously announced deal to supply Ukraine with more than 5,000 air defense missiles from Thales, according to a statement by the British government. The delivery will come under a 19-year financing agreement, supported by a 2.5-billion-pound (USD 3.4 billion) credit guarantee.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBy unlocking UKEF-backed finance, we\u2019re enabling the delivery of vital equipment to Ukraine and strengthening our own defence industrial base. It\u2019s a clear demonstration of our Plan for Change in action\u2014backing British business, boosting exports, and standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression,\u201d UK Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports Gareth Thomas said on the Thales deal.<\/p>\n The agreement is expected to be signed in Rome, where the Ukraine Recovery Conference is taking place. The UK will also supply up to 283 million pounds in bilateral assistance to Ukraine over the next year.<\/p>\n On March 2, the British government announced a deal worth up to \u00a31.6 billion (USD 2 billion) for Thales to make more than 5,000 lightweight multi-role missiles (LMMs) for Ukraine. Each such missile is about 70mm in diameter and is reportedly to be used to intercept Russian attack drones.<\/p>\n U.S. joins \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d meetings for first time<\/strong><\/p>\n A U.S. delegation was present for the first time at a meeting of the \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d in Rome on Thursday. Retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, was at the meeting, which took place on the sidelines of a conference on Ukraine\u2019s recovery held in the Italian capital. Also present were Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal.<\/p>\n \u201cToday in Rome, our security format \u2014 the Coalition of the Willing \u2014 continues, and the meeting is currently underway. For the first time, representatives of the United States have joined this format: General [Kellogg], and Senators [Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal],\u201d head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak said in a post to X on Thursday.<\/p>\n A \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d is a group of European and non-European countries eager to support Ukraine in the face of Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion. Led by the UK and France, the initiative could see troops from a number of European and NATO countries deployed to Ukraine as peacekeepers. British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, first announced the establishment of the coalition on March 2, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s Ukraine special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, in Rome on Wednesday. Kellogg chairs the U.S. delegation participating in the Ukraine Recovery Conference hosted in the Italian capital on July 10-11.<\/p>\n \u201cWe discussed weapons supplies and strengthening air defense. Given the increase in Russian attacks, this remains one of our top priorities. We also covered the purchase of American weapons, joint defense manufacturing, and localization efforts in Ukraine. We focused in detail on sanctions pressure,\u201d Zelenskyi said in a post to X.<\/p>\n EU Commission President announces new fund for Ukraine reconstruction<\/strong><\/p>\n European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, announced the creation of the European Flagship Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine on Thursday during a speech at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. As for who will contribute to the fund, von der Leyen named Italy, Germany, France, Poland and the European Investment Bank.<\/p>\n \u201cI am particularly pleased to announce today the European Flagship Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, the largest equity fund globally to support Reconstruction. It will kickstart investment in energy, transport, critical raw materials and dual use industries,\u201d von der Leyen said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are literally taking a stake in Ukraine\u2019s future by leveraging public money to bring large scale private sector investments and to help rebuild the country. I am particularly pleased that we are building it together with Italy, Germany, France, Poland and the European Investment Bank. And I trust that others will want to join,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Speaking at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi called on international partners to create a coalition for Ukraine\u2019s recovery and adopt a \u201cMarshall Plan-style\u201d approach to rebuilding the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ukraine and the UK conclude a historic deal to supply Ukraine with 5,000 Thales air defense missiles. 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