UK promises further $130 million of arms for Ukraine

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain will send Ukraine a further 100 million pounds ($130 million) of military support, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday after a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Reuters/TOM NICHOLSON British PM Johnson meets German Chancellor Scholz in London

Johnson, hosting the new German chancellor for the first time at his Downing Street office, said the two west European nations had also agreed to cooperate more closely on energy to reduce Europe's reliance on Russian imports.

The British prime minister also condemned a reported Russian attack on a train station in eastern Ukraine packed with women, children and elderly people fleeing the conflict, which Ukrainian authorities said had killed at least 39 people.

"The attack ... shows the depths to which Putin's vaunted army has sunk," Johnson told a news conference. "It is a war crime indiscriminately to attack civilians, and Russia's crimes in Ukraine will not go unnoticed or unpunished."

Russia's defence ministry said the station was only used by Ukraine's military, and that its armed forces had no targets assigned in the city where the attack took place on Friday.

Reuters could not verify what happened at the station.

Johnson said the UK would send high-grade military equipment to Ukraine's armed forces, including more Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles, a British short-range air defence system.

He also promised 800 anti-tank missiles, as well as other precision-guided munitions and more helmets, night vision and body armour.

Earlier on Friday, Britain imposed sanctions on two adult daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin, mirroring a move by the United States.

Johnson also welcomed Germany's efforts to reduce its heavy reliance on Russian oil and gas and said Britain and Germany would share expertise on renewable energy.

"We cannot transform our respective energy systems overnight, but we also know that Putin's war will not end overnight" Johnson said.

($1 = 0.7691 pounds) 

Reference: Reuters