US, UK pledge $1.5B in aid to Ukraine as war with Russia intensifies

The United States and Britain have decided to provide $1.5 billion in support for Ukraine and also promised a swift answer to Kiev's requests to ease restrictions on weapons capable of striking deeper into Russia.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy made the announcement of economic aid on Wednesday while making a rare joint visit to Kiev in a show of solidarity.

It came amid growing concern over the situation on the battlefield and the uncertain future of Washington's stance on the war.

Blinken, who made the nine-hour train ride to Kiev with Lammy, said the United States would offer $717 million in fresh economic aid to Ukraine.

About half of it will consist of US support to strengthen Ukraine's electricity infrastructure, which has been pounded by Russia just as winter sets in.

Blinken accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dusting off "his winter playbook" to "weaponise the cold against the Ukrainian people".

"Our support will not wane, our unity will not break," Blinken told reporters in Kiev.

Lammy reiterated his Labour government's pledge to provide £600 million ($782 million) in economic assistance to Ukraine.

Britain, which has consistently pushed to ease restrictions on Ukraine's use of weapons, would provide hundreds of new air-defence missiles to Ukraine this year, he added.

Ukraine's Western allies have accused Russia of acquiring new short-range Iranian missiles that they say could ramp up Moscow's firepower. Moscow and Tehran reject claims of weapons transfer. And November's US presidential election could result in a dramatic shift in the stance of Ukraine's top backer.

Russian advances

Russia has been advancing on the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, a month after Kiev launched a shock counter-offensive into Russia's Kursk region.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has stepped up his requests to the West in recent months to provide weapons with more firepower and fewer restrictions.

In an online post on Wednesday evening, noting he had had "very substantive" talks with Blinken and Lammy, he thanked both countries for their support.

But he added: "It is important that Ukrainian arguments are heard.

"This includes the long-range weapons, the supply of combat brigades on the front lines, and the overall strategy for achieving a just peace."

Blinken said Washington would look at the requests "with urgency". They would be discussed on Friday in Washington when President Joe Biden meets UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he said.

Biden, while strongly supportive of Ukraine, has previously made clear he wants to avoid devolving into direct conflict between the United States and Russia, the world's two leading nuclear powers.

'Appropriate response'

Asked how Moscow would respond to expanded missile ranges, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday told reporters that the response "will be appropriate", without providing specific details.

The authorisation of Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory would serve as "further proof" of why Moscow launched its offensive, which he said was itself an "answer" to the West's support for Ukraine.

Washington says it Russia could start firing short-range Iranian-made missiles into Ukraine within weeks.

Alleged Iranian missile shipments have raised fears in the West that Moscow would be freed up to use its long-range missiles against comparatively unscathed areas in western Ukraine.

The United States earlier this year cleared Ukraine to use Western weapons to hit Russian forces when in direct conflict across the border.

British media reports said Biden was set to end objections to letting Ukraine fire long-range Storm Shadow missiles deeper into Russia.

Use of tactical missiles

One key request by Ukraine is to loosen restrictions on US-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, which can hit targets up to 300 kilometres (190 miles) away.

Both Republican and Democratic members of Congress have pushed Biden to move quickly on the ATACMS issue.

Republicans, however, are deeply divided over Ukraine.

A victory in November by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump over Biden's political heir Kamala Harris could dramatically shift US policy.

Trump aides have suggested that if he wins, he would leverage aid to force Kiev into territorial concessions to Russia to end the war.