𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The UK will begin talks to join the European Union’ s £78billion loan for Ukraine as the Government deepens defence ties with the bloc.

Sir Keir Starmer will tell leaders at a European gathering in Armenia’s capital Yerevan on Monday that Britain wants to work more closely with them to ensure Ukraine gets the military equipment it needs to continue its fightback against Russia’s invasion.

The bid to participate in the loan scheme, recently approved by the EU after Viktor Orban’s defeat in Hungarian elections ended a long-running impasse, is part of the Prime Minister’s reset with Brussels.

Sir Keir called for the UK and EU to “go further and faster on defence” co-operation before his visit to the European Political Community summit (EPC) in Armenia, only the second by a British leader to the Caucasus country and the first in more than 25 years.

The Prime Minister said: “When the UK and the European Union work together, we all reap the benefits — and in these volatile times we need to go further and faster on defence to keep people safe.

“That is why we are beginning negotiations with the EU to ensure Ukraine gets the equipment it needs to defend its freedom, while driving opportunities for British industry to play its full part.

“I will always act in our national interest: protecting our security, supporting our allies, and delivering jobs and stability at home.”

He also noted access to the initiative could create opportunities for British defence firms to compete for contracts under the scheme.

The UK will also slap further sanctions on Russian companies to disrupt military supply chains later this week, according to Downing Street.

Sir Keir has indicated he wants to work more closely with the EU on defence, even after talks aimed at the UK potentially joining Brussels’ 150 billion euro (£130 billion) Security Action for Europe rearmament fund broke down at the end of last year as the price for entry was considered too high.

The UK and EU, which will hold another joint summit this summer, will negotiate the parameters of access to the bloc’s loan for Ukraine in the coming weeks, No 10 said.

The EU last month approved the financial boost, vital to keep Ukraine afloat for the next two years, after Hungary lifted its veto.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel MP said: “The Conservative Party will always stand firmly with Ukraine, for as long as it takes. We were first movers on lethal aid, we committed £3 billion a year in military support, and we will back any serious measure that keeps Ukrainian forces in the fight and degrades Russia’s ability to wage this war.

“However, Labour continues to fail our armed forces. The Defence Investment Plan committed for Autumn 2025 has still not appeared, and Labour have still not committed funded, credible plans to reach 3 per cent of GDP on defence by the end of this Parliament. Starmer would rather spend on welfare than warfare.”

The Daily Express Give Us A Proper Brexit crusade has called for Britain to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, slash red tape for businesses and enforce a 12-mile exclusion zone around the UK for British vessels only.