The £4.5m of new funding will help finance Ukraine’s documentation, investigations and prosecutions of war crimes amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.
It builds on a previous promise to send £6.2m to Kyiv to pursue on war criminals, taking the total sum dedicated to wartime justice since 2022 to £10m.
While the UK government’s handout does not explicitly mention the accusations against Vladimir Putin, the International Criminal Court did issue an arrest warrant for the Russian president last year.
The Hague accused Putin of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine in March 2023.
A warrant was also issued for the arrest of Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, the Russian commissioner for children’s right, on similar allegations.
This warrant marked the first time the ICC has ever indicted a leader of one of other five permanent members of the UN security council – although Russia is not party to the court, so has written off the accusations.
The new funding comes on top of the £225m of military support announced earlier this month to boost Ukraine’s military capabilities, and the pledge to send the £3bn of British military aid per year, every year.
There’s also the the £2.26bn loan given to Ukraine to help it fight the Russians which will be paid back from frozen Russian assets.
More than 100 air defence missiles have arrived in recent days, and 300,000 Ukrainians have received sanctuary in the UK – a new scheme in February will allow those eligible to stay another 18 months, too.
Defence secretary John Healey said: “Throughout 2024, the fierce courage of the Ukrainian people has continued to inspire the world. As we enter 2025, the UK’s resolve to reinforce support for Ukraine is unwavering.
“I’m proud of UK leadership on Ukraine. From delivering cutting-edge equipment to training tens of thousands of troops, we have shown the UK stands with the Ukrainian people in the face of Putin’s brutal, illegal invasion. Because the defence of the UK starts in Ukraine.
”This is underpinned by our £3 billion funding promise for Ukraine, next year and every year, for as long as it takes to enable the Ukrainians to defend themselves and restore their sovereignty, security and freedom.”
Foreign secretary David Lammy said the “atrocities” in Ukraine are “unspeakable”.
He added: “There can be no lasting peace without accountability, and UK support will help Ukraine as it pursues justice for the victims and survivors of these crimes.”