Overview
- Defence Secretary John Healey announced £200 million from the core budget to upgrade vehicles, communications and counter-drone protection to ready UK forces for potential deployment.
- The move follows a Paris declaration confirming UK and French troops would deploy to Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached, with the Multinational Force for Ukraine headquarters already operating in Paris.
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton briefed Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Defence Secretary Healey on an MoD-assessed £28bn shortfall to 2030, as No 10 highlighted record nominal spending of £270bn this parliament.
- Publication of the Defence Investment Plan has been pushed to March as officials weigh delays or cuts to programmes, with inflation, pay rises and nuclear costs driving pressures and the Ajax project cited as a potential target.
- The government said UK production of Octopus interceptor drones will begin this month to bolster Ukraine’s air defences, complementing wider support as Russia intensifies missile threats.