UK Urges ‘50-Day Drive’ to Arm Ukraine, Raise Pressure on Putin

Ukrainian servicemen fire with a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions in eastern Ukraine.

Photographer: Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP/Getty Images

Britain and Germany are set to pledge new air defense systems for Ukraine as the UK government pushes for a “50-day drive” to arm Kyiv and bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

Defense Secretary John Healey will make the announcement on Monday when he chairs a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group along with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius, according to a statement released by the UK Ministry of Defense.