UK Ministry of Defence accused of delaying arms supplies to Ukraine - Guardian
The UK Ministry of Defence was accused of delaying arms supplies to Ukraine (photo: Getty Images)
The UK Ministry of Defence has faced criticism for not using more than half of the military aid fund for Ukraine, totaling £900 million (approximately $1.113 billion), donated by partner countries, according to The Guardian.
The UK Ministry of Defence is being accused of slow work due to bureaucratic delays, as reported by The Guardian. It is noted that only £404 million (almost half a billion dollars) out of the funds donated by nine countries' governments over the past two years has been allocated or spent.
The International Fund for Ukraine, led by the UK, has nine donor countries. Critics argue that the delivery of arms to Ukraine's front line has been slow.
The Shadow Defence Minister of the UK, John Healey, accused the department of working slowly.
"Some of the equipment covered in the contracts signed will not reach Ukraine until spring next year, ministers have admitted," The Guardian states.
Representatives of the UK Ministry of Defence also say that the delays were caused by the need to assess each of the vast numbers of defense companies that tendered for contracts.
Military fund for Ukraine
The International Fund for Ukraine was created in August 2022 to finance military training and equipment for Ukraine following Russia's large-scale invasion.
It was designed as a flexible, low-bureaucracy fund managed by the Ministry of Defence on behalf of an executive committee consisting of the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Lithuania.
The funds allocated are as follows:
- Denmark ($164.5 million),
- Iceland ($3.7 million),
- Lithuania ($6.18 million),
- Netherlands ($136 million),
- Norway ($147.2 million),
- Sweden ($32 million),
- Australia ($32 million),
- New Zealand ($5 million).
