Foreign Minister Liz Tras has confirmed that the United Kingdom will send a donation of dried food, canned goods and water to Ukraine at the request of the government. Warehouses in Poland and Slovakia are ready to supply the goods as early as next week, the Office for Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development (FCDO) said. From there, about 25 trucks will be transported by road and rail to the most needy Ukrainian communities. Follow the Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker Live updates on Ukraine war as Moscow warns West of ‘big mistake’ Ms Trous said the teams were “working day and night” to help provide humanitarian aid to those in need. “This vital donation of food and supplies will help support the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s barbaric invasion. “Our teams are working day and night with our Polish and Slovak friends and the Ukrainian government to ensure that those most at risk have the much-needed supplies they need.” Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:11 Food the “second front” of the war in Ukraine The United Kingdom sends dried food, canned food and water to Ukraine It is estimated that more than 12 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance throughout Ukraine. Donations must be sent now as the window closes to reach cities and towns that are already under siege. Many people have been trapped without access to food, water and cooking facilities – finding refuge in basements from the bombings. Read more: Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be disappointed with the outcome of the NATO summit Image: Liz Truss says foreign agency teams are working “day and night” to help those in Ukraine Alice Hooper, FCDO’s humanitarian aid adviser, said the need for vital supplies was clear “with so many people trapped in basements with no access to food or water”. “Nearly six million children remain in Ukraine, many shelters inside buildings under attack,” he said. “We are working with partners at the border to ensure that these vital UK supplies reach the places they need as quickly as possible.” The donation comes as part of the 400 400 million support pledged by the UK government, with 220 220 million of which being spent on humanitarian aid. Subscribe to Ukraine War Diaries on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Spreaker Read more: Sunak disputed over wife’s ties to company in Russia The Secretary of State announced the distribution of the first tranche of this funding, which will be distributed among trusted humanitarian aid partners on the ground, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Affairs (OCHA), the Ukrainian OCHA-managed Humanitarian Fund and International Freedom of the Red Cross and Red Cross Companies. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:42 “War will be a failure for Putin” Russia warns attack will continue until Putin’s “goals” are achieved The British government’s latest commitment comes as the Russian Defense Ministry says the country’s invasion of Ukraine will continue until it “reaches the goals set by Vladimir Putin.” In a briefing on the peace talks, a Russian negotiator said the two sides were approaching minor issues but not making real progress on key issues, Interfax news agency reported. On the ground, the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv has been cut off by Russian forces, its governor said. “The city has been conditionally besieged, operationally by the enemy,” Governor Vyacheslav Chaus told national television. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:58 The theater of Mariupol after the bombing The bombings in the theater leave about 300 dead Ukraine wants to arrange a humanitarian corridor to Chernihiv on Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said, adding that creating such escape routes is a challenge. Read more: Boris Johnson says Ukraine should host Euro 2028, not Russia In its latest update, however, the UK Department of Defense said Ukrainian forces were re-occupying cities and defense positions “up to 35 km east of Kiev”. In Mariupol, about 300 people lost their lives in the bombing of a theater in the port city last week, the city council announced. The number is said to have come from those who were in the building at the time, outside of which was a large sign that read “children” in Russian. It became “the last refuge for hundreds of innocent people,” a council spokesman said. More than 1,300 people were sheltered inside, according to the Ukrainian parliament’s human rights commissioner. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:36 “Just cry”: Ukrainian refugee arrives in the UK Shapps to host Ukrainian family Meanwhile, Transport Minister Grand Saps is preparing to welcome a family of Ukrainian refugees to his home – along with their dog. The cabinet minister said he wanted to “make a substantial difference” by accepting the household, which was forced to flee the war-torn capital, Kyiv, after the Russian invasion. The family includes a mother, her six-year-old son and his grandmother. Mr Saps was among more than 150,000 people across the UK who signed up for a government program to provide shelter to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, which has sparked a humanitarian crisis.
