UPDATE - UK announces further $230M aid to Ukraine

ADD MORE DETAILS ON SIZE OF AID, REMARKS BY CANADIAN, DUTCH LEADERS; REVISES HEADLINE, LEDE

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a further £230 million ($302 million) to Ukraine on Monday, bringing the total UK aid to the war-torn country to £526 million ($690 million).

Johnson said $131 million of the fresh aid will be paid straight to the Ukrainian government.

Speaking at a press conference at Downing Street alongside his Canadian and Dutch counterparts, Johnson stressed the importance of solidarity with Ukraine.

“During the excellent meetings we have had today, we reaffirmed that our three countries stand shoulder-to-shoulder against Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine,” Johnson said.

“In the 12 days since Russia launched this illegal and brutal assault, the world has come together in solidarity with the indomitable people of Ukraine,” he added.

He said: “As Ukrainians resist Russia’s onslaught with courage and tenacity, the international community must aid their struggle in every way we can.

“We will only succeed if the whole international community moves together with the same spirit of unity we have seen in recent days.”

- New support group

Johnson also said a new coalition of Ukraine support was established.

“Our new International Ukraine Support Group will coordinate the efforts of the international community to provide long-term and unwavering assistance, now and in the future,” he said.

“And we will be encouraging more countries to join us.”

“This is the moment for Ukraine’s friends to create a coalition of humanitarian, economic and defensive military support to ensure that Putin fails,” he added.

- Canada to sanction 10 individuals

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government would impose fresh sanctions on 10 individuals.

“Today, Canada is announcing new sanctions on 10 individuals complicit in this unjustified invasion,” Trudeau said.

“This includes former and current senior government officials, oligarchs, and supporters of Russian leadership,” he added.

He said “the names of these individuals come from a list” compiled by Alexei Navalny, the jailed opposition figure.

“The sanctions put increased pressure on Russia's leadership, including on Putin's inner circle.”

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the countries in Europe are “painfully dependent” on Russian gas and oil but that this should change.

Echoing Rutte, Johnson said the dependency to Russian energy should diminish but it “won’t happen overnight.”

Rutte described the situation as a “dark shadow cast over Europe.”

“We are working together for peace and security on the European continent … it has been another weekend of horrific violence in Ukraine,” he added.

Rutte: “We knew already but in recent days, it has been confirmed that Putin remained unmoved.

“We are dealing with an aggressor who keeps crossing new boundaries.”

“Civilians and civilian targets and even a nuclear power plants have been attacked recently and we know now that Putin has used cluster bombs, we can only guess what he plans to do next,” he added.

“But one thing is certain, Russia's aggression must stop.”