UK to begin talks to join EU loan scheme for Ukraine
The UK is set to begin negotiations to join a €90bn European Union loan scheme for Ukraine, with the plan due to be raised by Sir Keir Starmer at a summit in Armenia.
Downing Street said further sanctions on Russian companies are also expected this week.
The talks are intended to strengthen Ukraine's defences and, according to the prime minister, could also help UK firms access future contracts.
Starmer met Volodymyr Zelensky in Yerevan on Sunday ahead of the European Political Community summit.
The summit has brought together 48 heads of state and government, and Starmer said the UK was ready to work with allies to provide Ukraine with the support it needs and maintain pressure on Russia.
The government said the new sanctions are aimed at disrupting military supply chains.
The move matters because it signals a further step in UK-EU cooperation on Ukraine at a time when allies are looking for ways to sustain military and financial backing.
It also comes as European leaders have already approved the loan package after Hungary lifted its veto.
Under the scheme, two-thirds of the funding is expected to go on Ukraine's defence needs, with the rest allocated to broader financial assistance.
