Russia's War in Ukraine Financing Ukraine’s Defence: The Push to Unlock Frozen Russian

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to champion a significant increase in the supply of long range missiles to Ukraine from its Western allies at a high level summit in London. Hosting the meeting of the "coalition of the willing" on Friday, which includes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Starmer is expected to call on European partners to "step up the gifting of long range capabilities" to enable Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory and build on recent tactical successes. The focus on long range weapons comes amid Ukraine's continuous pleas for such capabilities, including the US made Tomahawk missiles, which were not secured during President Zelensky's recent visit to Washington.

The summit, which will see leaders such as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Dutch Premier Dick Schoof attend in person, is designed to increase coordinated pressure on Moscow as the war extends into its fourth winter. The discussions are not limited to military aid; allies will also explore further efforts to cripple Russia's war economy. Key topics include advancing plans to use frozen Russian sovereign assets to fund Ukraine’s defense and exploring measures to take Russian oil and gas off the global market, a move bolstered by recent US sanctions against major Russian oil firms. Starmer's office stated that he will urge leaders to "finish the job" on frozen assets to unlock billions of pounds for Kyiv’s defense.

The call for greater long range capabilities follows successful Ukrainian strikes using British supplied Storm Shadow missiles, proving the effectiveness of such weapons against Russian military infrastructure. For its part, the UK is announcing the "acceleration" of a domestic missile building program, pledging an early delivery of around 140 lightweight multirole air defense missiles this winter as part of a larger agreement. This commitment directly addresses a critical demand from President Zelensky to protect Ukraine's energy infrastructure from ongoing Russian strikes, which he warns are an attempt to "turn the cold weather into a weapon."

The London talks also serve as a key forum for European coordination following the recent EU summit in Brussels, where leaders tasked the European Commission with developing financial support options for Ukraine for the next two years. The push for long range missiles, particularly Germany's Taurus system which Berlin has been hesitant to supply, highlights a critical, ongoing debate among allies about the level of escalation risked by providing Kyiv with greater offensive reach. Starmer's decisive stance underscores the UK's view that ratcheting up pressure on Russia, both militarily and economically, is the most effective path toward ending the conflict.