UK, US stand 'shoulder to shoulder' in defense of Ukraine: British foreign secretary

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - The UK and US stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of Ukraine, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Tuesday.

Cleverly met with his US counterpart Antony Blinken ahead of the Ukraine Recovery Conference on Wednesday and Thursday, which is expected to bring together a wide range of stakeholders to London to help mobilize financial and political support for Ukraine's post-war recovery.

"Visited the Ukrainian Welcome Centre with James Cleverly to learn about the work the organization is doing to support Ukrainian displaced persons in the UK. The US and UK stand with the people of Ukraine and welcome those displaced by Russia's brutal war," said Blinken on Twitter.

Representatives from at least 61 countries, including 40 at the ministerial level, are expected to attend the conference, which aims to welcome some 1,000 participants.

As of April, damage caused to Ukraine’s infrastructure due to the war stood at $147.5 billion, the Kyiv School of Economics said in May.

According to the latest UN figures, there have been 24,862 civilian casualties in the country since the war began in February 2022 – 9,083 killed and 15,779 injured.