New U.K. Defense Chief Visits Odesa, Vows To 'Fast-Track' Ukraine Aid

Britain’s newly appointed Labour Party defense secretary traveled to the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa on July 7 for his first official foreign journey, vowing his country’s continued support for Kyiv.

"There may have been a change in government, but the U.K. is united for Ukraine," John Healey said, according to a statement released by the Defense Ministry.

Healey's visit to Odesa came on the same day that the foreign and defense chiefs of the Netherlands' new far-right government visited Kyiv and also vowed strong support for Ukraine's war effort.

Following meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, the British defense chief “announced that the U.K. would provide a new package of support to the country, including more artillery guns, a quarter of a million ammunition rounds, and nearly 100 precision Brimstone missiles,” the statement said.

He also pledged to “fast-track” military support committed for Ukraine in April by the previous Conservative government to arrive within the next 100 days.

Those promises included 400 vehicles, 1,600 strike and air-defense missiles, 4 million rounds of ammunition, and 60 boats, the statement said.

“Our commitment to stand with the Ukrainian people is absolute, as is our resolve to confront Russian aggression and pursue [Russian President Vladimir] Putin for his war crimes,” Healey said.

Also in Odesa, British Admiral Tony Radakin, chief of the defense staff, said that "the recent milestone of 500,000 Russians killed or wounded is a reminder of how badly this war has gone for Russia."

"Over the past year, with British help, Ukraine has driven the Russian fleet from Crimea and reopened the Black Sea for exports," he added, according to the statement. “By continuing to support Ukraine, and by helping to ensure Russia loses, Britain and Europe will be stronger and safer over the long term.”

The comments come on the heels of strong remarks by new Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy in support of Ukraine in its war against Ukraine.

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Lammy, who traveled over the weekend to Germany, Sweden, and Poland, wrote in the Local Europe publication that “European security will be this government’s foreign and defense priority.”

“Russia’s barbaric invasion has made clear the need for us to do more to strengthen our own defenses," he said.

Britain, under the previous Conservative-led government, has provided nearly $10 billion in military aid to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.