Liz Truss promised that Britain will cover military aid to Ukraine next year Politics news

Liz Truss has promised that Britain in 2023 will match the support it gave to Ukraine this year.

The army of Ukraine has recaptured areas of the occupied territory in the east of the country in recent weeks, forcing Russian troops to retreat.

On her first trip abroad as prime minister, Ms Truss is expected to point to this success as proof of what the Ukrainian people can do with the support of other democracies.

Ms Truss is visiting New York to attend the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where she will hold meetings with Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron as political action resumes after a period of national mourning for the Queen.

She is expected to use the trip to underline Britain’s long-term commitment to Ukraine, as well as the need to end its energy dependence on Russia.

Asked what she hoped to get out of meeting the US president, she told reporters: “The number one issue is global security – making sure that we are able to collectively fight Russian aggression and make sure that Ukraine wins and Putin doesn’t.” . to be successful in Ukraine.

“(It’s) a huge priority for European security and also ensuring that we work together with other G7 members to make sure that we are not strategically dependent on authoritarian regimes. This is a priority.”

Britain is already Ukraine’s second-biggest military donor, committing £2.3bn in 2022, providing hundreds of missiles, air defense systems and non-lethal military equipment.

Read more: Britain promises to send missiles to Kyiv, as Russia warns of an expansion of the conflict

Ahead of the trip, Ms Truss confirmed that in 2022 Britain would match or exceed the amount of military aid spent on the war-torn country.

She said: “My message to the people of Ukraine is this: Great Britain will continue to be behind you every step of the way.” Your safety is our safety.”

The visit takes place in the background Brexit tensions and questions over whether Ms Truss sees the French leader as “friend or foe”.

While she hopes the focus will be on energy security and tackling Russia’s war in Ukraine, clashes over the Northern Ireland Protocol are bound to arise.

Truss wants a constructive relationship with Macron

Mr Biden, the US president of proud Irish descent, expressed concern about the threat Brexit posed to the peace process and played down the chances of a free trade deal.

His French counterpart, Mr Macron, has long been a critic of Brexit and has insisted strongly that Britain honors commitments on Northern Ireland and fishing rights.

Ms Truss sparked a diplomatic row during the Tory leadership contest when she refused to give a clear answer when asked if the French president was “friend or foe”.

Instead, the then foreign minister said there was “no jury”.

Asked on Monday night, before arriving in the US, about Britain’s relationship with France, particularly on Channel migrants, Mr Truss said he wanted to have a “constructive relationship with France”.

“Of course, this means joint work on the issue of migration. There are a number of other issues that we need to work on together, whether it’s energy security or other issues related to our relationship with the EU, but the most important thing is to ensure that Putin does not succeed in Ukraine.

“This is something I will discuss with President Macron.”

Read more:
What is the Northern Ireland Protocol and why is it important?
Dublin hopes to receive a new bid “within weeks” to end the post-Brexit trade deal row
Fixed discount on electricity bills of firms under review by the Treasury

Ms Truss will meet Macron and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, on Tuesday before meeting Biden on Wednesday.

Meetings with the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Spain’s Pedro Sanchez and Israel’s Yair Lapid are also planned.

Ms Truss will also address the UN General Assembly, where she will say that under her leadership Britain will be an “active defender of our democratic values” and will work with allies to counter authoritarianism.

The trip kicks off a frenetic few days of political action in Ms Truss’s young premiership, with details of how companies will be helped in the energy crisis and a major announcement on NHS bills.

Ms Truss, who was joined in the US by Foreign Secretary James Cleverley, will return ahead of Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget on Friday.