UK announces £10bn Ukraine package, including £500m for winter air defence

Britain has announced more than £10 billion ($13.3 billion) in new economic and military support for Ukraine, the UK Treasury said on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Downing Street called it the UK's largest financial support package for Kyiv. It combines long-term World Bank guarantees, a bigger export-finance facility for buying weapons and £500 million of emergency money for Ukraine's air defences this winter.

What is in the package

The money comes in three parts. The largest is £7 billion of economic support spread over three years, mostly as guarantees that let the World Bank lend more to Ukraine's government. The second is a £3 billion increase in the cover offered by UK Export Finance, the government's export credit agency, with priority for military purchases. The third is £500 million of direct military aid for air defence.

Part of package	Amount	What it does
World Bank guarantees	up to £5.5bn	Backs new World Bank lending to Ukraine over three years
Grant to World Bank IDA crisis facility	£0.5bn	Expected to unlock about £1.5bn for Ukraine
UK Export Finance increase	£3bn	Takes total UKEF cover for Ukraine to £6.5bn, mainly for defence
Air defence this winter	£0.5bn	Fills urgent gaps against drones and missiles
Total new support	over £10bn

Together with £750 million already committed from the UK's share of the G7 loan backed by frozen Russian assets, British military support provided to Ukraine this year now reaches £4.3 billion. That is on top of the UK's existing pledge of £3 billion a year in military aid until at least 2030–31.

Background

The UK has been one of Ukraine's largest backers since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The government says its total commitment now stands at £35 billion: £16 billion in military support, up to £12.6 billion in non-military aid and fiscal guarantees, and £6.5 billion of export-finance cover for reconstruction and defence projects.

The announcement came the same day the Chancellor presented the Autumn Budget in London, and as Russia keeps up heavy air attacks. This week Russia launched about 280 drones and 16 missiles at Kyiv and other cities, even as a local ceasefire around Oleshky in the Kherson region began. Ukraine's power grid has been a main target for several winters running, which is why air-defence funding is the most urgent item.

Reactions

Prime Minister Andy Burnham and the Chancellor spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky before a Cabinet meeting. Zelensky thanked Britain for what he called its unwavering, strong and truly leading support, and described the package as "a truly strong and very timely step". He said it showed Russia that Ukraine would not be left alone, and that every step to strengthen Ukraine brings Russia closer to accepting that it must end the war.

The Treasury said Russia's invasion poses a serious threat to the UK's own security and prosperity, and that the package confirms Britain's role as a leading partner of Ukraine.

Why it matters

Ukraine depends on foreign money to pay salaries and pensions and keep its economy running while it spends heavily on defence. Guarantees allow the World Bank to lend at low cost without the UK paying cash upfront, a model other donors have used as US aid has become less certain. For Europe, the package is another sign that European governments are taking on a larger share of the cost of the war. Energy markets also watch closely: a more secure Ukrainian grid reduces the risk of wider power and gas disruption in Europe this winter.

What happens next

The World Bank and Ukraine will now negotiate the loans the guarantees will cover, and the air-defence money is expected to be spent quickly on systems and interceptors before the coldest months. Diplomatic efforts to end the war, including recent contacts between Moscow and Nordic leaders, continue.