|
UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron will travel to the US on Wednesday to reaffirm the UK's unwavering support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, as per a release issued on the UK government's official website.
During his visit, the foreign secretary will also reaffirm the strength of the UK-US relationship. Cameron will discuss the Middle East, getting humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict in Gaza and how the UK and US can work towards enabling a long-term two-state solution that allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live together in peace. In his first visit to Washington DC as Foreign Secretary, Cameron will discuss how the enduring partnership between the UK and the US is delivering security and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic and upholding democratic values where they are threatened around the world, as per the official release. This comes as the UK will, on Wednesday, target military suppliers who are propping up Putin's war machine through a series of sanctions. Foreign suppliers exporting equipment and parts to Russia are among dozens of individuals and groups to be sanctioned to starve Putin of the resources he needs for his war in Ukraine. Ahead of the visit, Cameron announced a new winter humanitarian response package of Euro 29 million for Ukraine and will bolster support with a further Euro 7.75 million for humanitarian activities that will focus on the needs of the most vulnerable in Ukraine, such as women, girls, older people and people with disabilities. Funding allocations are part of the UK's overall Euro 127 million of humanitarian support to Ukraine and the region in 2023 to 2024, as announced at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in June. The Foreign Secretary will hold an intensive round of diplomatic talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to reaffirm international cooperation and support for the Ukrainian people as they approach two years of battling Russian forces, the release said. While in Washington, the Foreign Secretary will also meet key Congressional figures on both sides of the House. The UK Foreign Secretary said: "The UK and the US are deeply bound by a shared mission to defend the values that provide security and prosperity for us all. That is why we remain unwavering in our support of Ukraine. If we allow Putin's aggression to succeed, it will embolden those who challenge democracy and threaten our way of life. We cannot let them prevail." He said: "We also stand united in the Middle East, working together to ensure long-term security and stability in the region, and in responding to the challenges posed by China." "The UK's steadfast support for Ukraine against Russia's aggression was highlighted by David Cameron choosing to travel to Kyiv last month for his first overseas visit as Foreign Secretary. The UK's total military, humanitarian and economic support for Ukraine now amounts to Euro 9.3 billion," the foreign secretary added. Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the country's military to increase the maximum number of troops by nearly 1,70,000 people, as reported by Al Jazeera. Putin's decree was released by the Kremlin on Friday and came into force immediately. As Moscow increases the number of troops, it brings the strength of the armed forces to 1.32 million service personnel and increases the overall number of Russian military personnel to about 2.2 million. The Russian Ministry of Defence issued a statement, saying, "The increase in the full-time strength of the armed forces is due to the growing threats to our country associated with the special military operation and the ongoing expansion of NATO." However, it also stated that the order does not imply any "significant expansion of conscription", and that the increase would happen gradually by recruiting more volunteers, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI)
|
