Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper pledged that Britain will continue supporting Ukraine “to peace and beyond” and confirmed a further £142 million in aid for families on the frontline as Moscow steps up drone strikes and neighbouring NATO countries raise their alert levels.
Speaking after a visit to Kyiv on Sept. 12, Cooper said in an interview with the Mirror that “Ukraine’s security is our security” and that Britain would continue to support President Volodymyr Zelensky. She said greater economic pressure on Russia was necessary to push for peace talks and warned that unchecked Russian aggression posed risks to the safety and stability of Europe and the United Kingdom.
Cooper made the comments as Zelensky warned that Russia was deliberately expanding its drone operations and called on the West to respond with tougher sanctions and closer defence cooperation. Zelensky said the Russian military “knows exactly where their drones are headed and how long they can operate in the air,” and described the latest incursions as “an obvious expansion of the war.” He urged partners not to wait for further large-scale attacks, referring to the Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia.
The heightened concern followed a series of incidents over the weekend. Romania’s defence ministry said it scrambled two F-16 fighter jets late Saturday after detecting a drone in national airspace; the jets monitored the device until it disappeared from radar near the Romanian village of Chilia Veche. Poland reported deploying helicopters and aircraft and placing ground-based air-defence and radar systems at their highest alert as Russian drones struck regions of Ukraine near its border. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk later said the high alert had been lifted while urging continued vigilance.
NATO members have increased support for defending Polish airspace after Warsaw reported nearly 20 Russian drones entered its airspace earlier in the week. France, Germany and Sweden were among countries that stepped up deployments following those reports, and allied aircraft and systems have operated in Polish airspace to assist national defenses.
During her Kyiv visit, Cooper met Ukrainian officials, visited the Wall of Remembrance and toured an exhibition of Ukrainian unmanned vehicles. She also inspected damage at the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers’ headquarters, which was struck in recent missile and drone attacks. Cooper’s trip included meetings with Zelensky and senior ministers aimed at reaffirming long-term British support.
The £142 million package announced by Cooper is intended to assist Ukrainian families on the frontline, a British government official said. Cooper framed the assistance as part of a broader strategy combining military support from allies, humanitarian aid and economic measures intended to increase pressure on the Kremlin to come to the negotiating table.
Zelensky has repeatedly urged the West to adopt fresh sanctions and tighter defence cooperation in response to the growing drone campaign. NATO and partner states have emphasized coordination on air-defence and intelligence sharing in recent days as they monitor cross-border risks tied to attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
Cooper’s statements and the material support pledged underline the U.K.’s continued role among Western backers of Ukraine while underscoring concerns in the region about the spillover effects of Russian strikes. The developments come amid ongoing diplomatic and military discussions among NATO members about how best to protect allied airspace and deter further escalations.