UK on verge of joining EU’s £78bn loan for Ukraine as Starmer seeks reset with Brussels | UK News

The UK is on the verge of joining the EU’s €90bn (£78bn) loan scheme for Ukraine, as the government seeks to shore up support for Kyiv and deepen defence ties with the bloc.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will join European leaders at a gathering in Armenia today where he is expected to say that Britain wants to work with ​the EU to support Ukraine in its fightback against Russia’s invasion.

The loan, approved by the EU last month, is set to cover two-thirds of ​Ukraine’s needs for the next two years, with the bulk ⁠of that amount earmarked for military ⁠spending.

The extra funding could also unlock opportunities for British businesses to ‌meet Ukraine’s needs, particularly in the defence sector.

The UK will also slap further sanctions on Russian firms to disrupt military supply chains later this week, according to Downing Street.

The prime minister said: “When the UK and the European Union work together, we all reap the benefits – and in these volatile times we need to go further and faster on defence to keep people safe.

“That is why we are beginning negotiations with the EU to ensure Ukraine gets the equipment it needs to defend its freedom, while driving opportunities for British industry to play its full part.

“I will always act in our national interest: protecting our security, supporting our allies, and delivering jobs and stability at home.”

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Before his trip to Armenia, Sir Keir wrote in The Observer that Brexit had “damaged our economy” and that strengthening economic links with the continent was key to recovery.

The UK and EU, which will hold another joint summit this summer, will negotiate the parameters of access to the bloc’s loan for Ukraine in the coming weeks, Downing Street said.

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The PM’s trip comes before local elections this week when voters will deliver their first verdict on his government.

Tory shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said: “The Conservative Party will always stand firmly with Ukraine, for as long as it takes.

“However, Labour continues to fail our armed forces. The Defence Investment Plan committed for autumn 2025 has still not appeared, and Labour have still not committed funded, credible plans to reach 3% of GDP on defence by the end of this Parliament. Starmer would rather spend on welfare than warfare.”