John Healey tells Ukraine’s allies to make 2026 ‘the year this war ends’
The Defence Secretary was speaking at a press conference after a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels.
Ukraine’s allies should make sure 2026 is the year Russia’s war against Kyiv ends, the Defence Secretary has said.
Speaking after a meeting of defence ministers in Brussels, John Healey said Ukraine’s allies were “more united and more determined than ever”.
He said: “We will step up military assistance to Ukraine. We will step up pressure on Russia.
“And we want to make 2026 the year this war ends, the year we secure peace.”
His comments came at a press conference after a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) which saw allied nations pledge 35 billion US dollars (£25 billion) of military support for Ukraine as the war approaches its fourth anniversary at the end of February.
Praising the “courage and defiance” of the Ukrainian people, Mr Healey added that Russia had been fighting in Ukraine for longer than the Soviet Union fought Germany during the Second World War.
The support announced on Thursday includes more than £500 million from the UK in the form of new air defence systems, regarded as a priority by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The deal will see a further 1,000 lightweight multi-role missiles delivered to Ukraine.
Standing alongside Mr Healey, his German counterpart Boris Pistorius announced Berlin would donate five of its 12 Pac-3 interceptor missiles if other nations agreed to donate 30.
Mr Pistorius said the missiles would contribute to a “city dome project” to improve air defence above Ukraine’s metropolitan areas.
He said: “In 12 days, it will be exactly four years since Russia’s brutal war and unlawful attack on Ukraine began, and one thing is certain – Ukraine can continue to count on our support.”
Mr Healey and Mr Pistorius again co-chaired the UDCG meeting, a role performed by the US before Donald Trump’s return to the White House last year.
Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte urged allies to “step up their support” to Kyiv, saying Ukraine “urgently needs more air defence”.
Thursday’s meeting of the UDCG took place after another barrage of Russian ballistic missiles and drones targeted Ukrainian cities overnight.
Kyiv has accused Russia of seeking to use the cold as a weapon by targeting civilian heat and power infrastructure during a bitterly cold winter.
The conflict is also likely to feature high on the agenda of the Munich Security Conference which kicks off on Friday, with Sir Keir Starmer expected to attend at the head of the UK delegation.
On Thursday, Mr Zelensky thanked both Mr Healey and Sir Keir for their continued support and the “new and timely air defence package”.
He said: “Russian attacks on our people, energy, and other life-sustaining infrastructure continue unabated, and each strike can inflict significant damage. Therefore, such leadership and support are especially vital now, amid the winter cold.”
