UK backs Trump’s Putin ultimatum with urgent ’50-day drive’ to strengthen Ukraine’s position

In a direct response to President Donald Trump’s 50-day deadline that he issued to Russian President Vladimir Putin in his latest peace deal push, the U.K. on Monday announced a “50-day drive” to better arm Ukraine. 

The call to action was issued by U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey during a virtual meeting with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) on Monday, the British Ministry of Defense announced.

The Defense Ministry did not immediately answer Fox News’ Digital’s questions about what type of commitments Healey wants to see from allied nations in support of Kyiv.

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At the top of the meeting, the British defense secretary said “[Trump] started the clock on a 50-day deadline for Putin to agree to peace or to face crippling economic sanctions. 

“And as members of this UDCG, we need to step up in turn with a 50-day drive to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and to help push Putin to the negotiating table,” he added.

Healey urged nations to utilize the NATO sales agreement announced by Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte last week to more quickly and efficiently arm Ukraine on the battlefield.

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While the U.S.-NATO sales agreement is not an unusual deal as Washington, D.C., for decades has sold its arms to NATO allies, the announcement was significant because it signaled a turning point in the U.S.’s continued support for Ukraine, which has remained a question since Trump was re-elected in November.

“We sell arms to allies all the time and if they want to give them to Ukraine then we authorize an export license, and they then transfer the arms to Ukraine,” Mike Ryan, who formally served as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy, told Fox News Digital. “So, the significance is that one, the Europeans are stepping up their support for Ukraine. Two, the American taxpayer is getting a break. Three, Europe is buying more American arms [which is] good for the trade deficit, and four, Ukraine is getting the help it needs.”

The Monday meeting will be the fourth time Healey has chaired the defensive group in support of Kyiv, and the third such event that he has done so alongside German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

A major point of discussion is expected to be the quick transfer of Patriot Battery Missiles for Ukraine – five of which Berlin is set to confirm shipment of on Monday following his meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week. 

“Boris and I have agreed to partner in providing critical air defense missiles to Ukraine,” Healey said before announcing a near $54 million defensive pledge to Ukraine, and by extension, Europe’s security.

The announcement is on top of the more than $6 billion in military aid the U.K. has sent Ukraine this year alone.

“This is a critical moment we meet at a critical time, a time for all allies and partners to share the burden, to support Ukraine, both in the fight now and to secure the peace future,” Healey added.