Backing Ukraine 'tough, painful' endeavor: UK Foreign Secretary
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The UK has been one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine since the start of the conflict in February 2022.
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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet Ukrainian troops being trained to command Challenger 2 tanks at a military facility in Lulworth, Dorset, England, on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 (Andrew Matthews/Pool via AP)
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Saturday that providing support to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia is a challenging and emotionally demanding endeavor.
"This is tough and this is painful. But it will only be more tough and more painful if we falter," Cleverly said in an interview with The House magazine.
He stated that the UK government's stance on the issue is firm and emphasized that there is weariness stemming from the ongoing conflict, describing it as a "big thing."
Read more: UK, French defense ministers in Ukraine for aid talks
The UK has been one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine since the start of the conflict in February 2022. In addition to the imposing of sanctions on Russia and Belarus, the UK government has provided a range of military, financial, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
After the US, the UK stands as the second-largest contributor of military support to Ukraine, having allocated £4.6 billion in military aid thus far, according to the UK government.
This assistance consists of an array of weaponry and gear, encompassing anti-tank missiles, air defense systems, artillery, and ammunition, including depleted uranium shells.
Moreover, the UK is actively engaged in delivering training to Ukrainian forces on the utilization of these armaments and equipment.
Read more: Ukraine became a testing field of weapons for arm manufacturers: WSJ
In a bid to regain lost ground, Ukraine launched a much-anticipated counteroffensive in early June. The operation fell short of meeting its objective, as per US officials, while major media outlets went as far as calling it a failure.
Ukraine's long-discussed counteroffensive is nearing its end without any significant progress, BBC concluded in a field report conducted at the east front lines in Ukraine.
Despite the massive military support to Ukraine, media outlets on Kiev's side confirmed earlier that the West and NATO failed to "outgun Russia", which continues to repel Ukrainian attacks, as well as destroy and capture their foreign-provided hardware.
