UK announces £600m worth of support for Ukraine

 UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has announced over £600m worth of support for Ukraine.

The support will provide £242m for humanitarian needs and $484m (£371m) in loan guarantees delivered by the World Bank to support vital public services, including keeping schools and hospitals open, paying civil servants, and funding pensions. 

Mr Lammy said: "Alongside the US, we are committed to giving Ukraine what it needs to resist Russia's illegal invasion. 

"Their fight for freedom, liberty and democracy is also a fight for British security, European security, and global security. With the US, we stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes."

UK Defence Secretary John Healey earlier announced that hundreds of additional air defence missiles, tens of thousands of additional artillery ammunition rounds, and more armoured vehicles will be delivered to Ukraine by the end of the year.

Mr Lammy will officially announce the support package during a news conference this afternoon alongside US secretary of state Antony Blinken.

The pair have been on a joint diplomatic trip to Kyiv where they have met with senior Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.