UK defense chief: Allies remain committed to Ukraine as Russian aggression spreads across Europe

UK Defense Secretary John Healey, who is co-chairing the 34th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format together with German counterpart Boris Pistorius, said partners remained firmly committed to supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary.

Healey said Putin wanted allies to be distracted by the conflict in the Middle East while continuing to attack Ukraine with thousands of drones and hundreds of missiles, killing civilians, destroying homes and crippling the country's infrastructure. He added that, regardless of developments elsewhere in the world, allies remembered their duty to Ukraine and recognized that Russian aggression was spreading across Europe.

He stressed that the mission of Ramstein members remained unchanged - to support Ukraine today and secure peace tomorrow.

Healey said allies had to continue supporting Ukraine, keep up pressure on Putin and work to secure a lasting peace.

Earlier on Wednesday, the UK announced its largest-ever drone supply package for Ukraine, which includes the transfer of at least 120,000 drones this year.

The new military aid package, the UK's largest in the area of UAV supplies, will include thousands of long-range strike drones, reconnaissance UAVs, logistics drones and naval systems that have already been battle-tested on the front line in Ukraine. Deliveries of the new UAVs began this month.

The previous meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format took place in February in Brussels.