United Kingdom and Ukraine sign defense contracts worth up to £3.5 billion.

The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the signing of contracts with Sheffield Forgemasters for the manufacturing of blanks for artillery gun barrels. According to The UK Defence Journal, this marks the beginning of a larger initiative to enhance Ukraine's defense capability.Ukraine received £3.5 billion in export financing from the United Kingdom for the procurement of British military assistance over an extended period. A British trade mission visited Kyiv to meet with representatives of the Ukrainian government and industry. The mission was led by UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard, who participated in discussions at the Ukraine Defense Industry Forum. The mentor stated: "The UK's support for Ukraine is unwavering. We continue to lead in providing military assistance, but our support is much broader than just providing equipment." The trade mission agreed on Ukraine's needs for complex weapon systems and ground system support. The UK Ministry of Defence is preparing to sign contracts with British defense companies to fulfill these requests. The special HIRST team, which includes representatives from various UK government departments, is working to stimulate industrial production and develop international cooperation with Ukrainian companies. The UK government has successfully delivered on its promise to supply 12 AS90 artillery systems within 100 days, with 10 already provided and another six to be delivered shortly.