Ukraine’s allies have pledged nearly $48 billion in military support at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) in Brussels, vowing to intensify pressure on Russia and strengthen Kyiv’s battlefield position.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said five countries had committed new funding to purchase American weapons under Ukraine’s Priority Requirements List.
He thanked the UK, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Lithuania for contributions he described as being “in the hundreds of millions of dollars” and said he expected more pledges soon, without naming specific countries.
He made the announcement at a joint press briefing with the British, German and Ukrainian defence ministers on Thursday.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey, who chaired the session, confirmed that allies had pledged a total of £35 billion, equivalent to nearly $48 billion, in military support.
“The UDCG has a clear message to Putin: we’re more united and more determined than ever,” Healey said.
“We will step up pressure on Russia and we want to make 2026 the year this war ends,” he added.
Healey said Russian President Vladimir Putin had expected a swift victory.
“Four years on, Ukraine’s forces are hitting targets deep into Russia, inflicting high casualty rates on parts of the front line and taking back territory,” Healey explained.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin would deliver five additional missile interceptors, provided other countries contribute a total of 30.
“We are on a good path,” he said, adding that some partners were still finalising approvals.
Ukraine’s Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov thanked allies for continued backing, accusing Moscow of targeting civilians and energy infrastructure as it struggles on the battlefield.
“Putin cannot win on the ground, so that’s why he is terrorising the civilian population,” he said.
Rutte, who recently visited Ukraine, said he had seen the destruction first-hand and reiterated calls for sustained support, saying 2026 should be the year Russia is no longer able to continue the war.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to res...
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint militar...
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middl...
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
Five years after Evergrande's debt crisis rattled global markets, founder Hui Ka Yan has been sentenced to life in prison, marking a dramatic new chapter in the downfall of China's former property giant.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment