Britain pledges $100 million to help keep Ukrainian state running

Boris Johnson's government has faced criticism that its sanctions have been too slow and its refugee programme underwhelming.

March 07, 2022 05:58 am | Updated 05:58 am IST - LONDON

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. File

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. File | Photo Credit: Reuters

Britain will provide $100 million (75.6 million pounds) to Ukraine through the World Bank, seeking to keep core state functions running and mitigate financial pressures caused by Russia's invasion, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office said.

Britain has sought a central role in the international response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine by providing defensive military aid, arguing for tougher sanctions again the Kremlin and offering financial support.

Nevertheless, Johnson's government has faced criticism that its sanctions have been too slow and its refugee programme underwhelming.

The latest round of cash, which is in addition to $290.95 million (220 million pounds) pledged already, could be used to pay public-sector workers in Ukraine or fund pension and social security payments, British authorities said.

"While only Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, today's new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation," Johnson added.

The money will be disbursed through the World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund, which is designed to fast-track donations to Ukraine and is already used by some other nations.

The funding announcement comes ahead of visits to London by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Netherlands leader Mark Rutte, which Johnson will seek to use to strengthen the international response to the invasion.

The three leaders will hold a news conference on Monday.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.