UK Defence Secretary pushes for "50-day drive" to arm Ukraine

The UK Defence Secretary, John Healey, will on July 21 call for a coordinated “50-day drive” to arm Ukraine as he chairs a key meeting of Kyiv’s allies, both The Telegraph and Bloomberg have reported.

Healey is expected to rally support among members of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), urging Western nations to increase military aid to Ukraine in a bid to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into peace negotiations, Caliber.Az cites the media reports.

“Alongside this, the US has started the clock on a 50-day deadline for Putin to agree to peace or face crippling economic sanctions,” Healey is expected to say. “As members of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, we need to step up in turn with a ‘50-day drive’ to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and force Putin to the negotiating table.”

The proposal aligns with US President Donald Trump’s recent warning that Russia could face “very severe” tariffs if it does not agree to a ceasefire by September 2 — 50 days after Trump announced plans to sell “top-of-the-line” weapons to NATO, which could then be supplied to Ukraine.

During the UDCG meeting, Healey is also expected to say: “We will play our full part in its success to bolster Ukraine’s immediate fight.”

This will be the fourth time Healey chairs the UDCG and the third alongside German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. The group, initially led by the United States, brings together defence ministers and officials from Ukraine’s allies. The chairmanship shifted after Trump scaled back US support for Kyiv and broader European security.

The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that £150 million worth of air defence missiles and artillery rounds have been delivered to Ukraine over the past two months. This is part of a broader £700 million pledge in 2025 for air defence and artillery ammunition, alongside expanded support for drones, which have become critical in Ukraine’s military strategy.

In the past six months, the UK has delivered 50,000 drones to Ukraine, with an additional 20,000 to be supplied through a coalition led by Britain and Latvia.

By Sabina Mammadli