Editorial: Vital UK funding for Ukraine is only a small fraction of our wealth

​Both the prime minister and one of his immediate predecessors have said that Ukraine can prevail against Russia.

​Rishi Sunak, writing in the Sunday Times, said Ukraine's allies should use money obtained through Russian sanctions and assets to fund Ukraine's defence.

Boris Johnson, writing in the Daily Mail, called for confiscated Russian money to be used to fund Kyiv. Both these men have been unwavering in their support of Ukraine, and the UK should be very proud that that is so.

In America, a new isolationism is taking hold in the Republican Party, particularly now that Donald Trump seems almost certain to be the party’s candidate in the general election later this year, after defeating his main party challenger Nikki Haley in the contest for the Republican nomination against President Joe Biden.

It seems extraordinary that the Democratic Party is going to let President Biden run again for the White House, given that he has become a figure of concern, even of fun, for his clear cognitive decline. But that is what they seem intent to do, despite the fact that polls show almost any other Democrat would beat Mr Trump in November.

The mood of the US Republican Party is such that President Biden cannot get crucial military aid through the houses of Congress.

It is two years since President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. Those voices who almost immediately called for negotiations have looked silly, as brave Ukrainians have died for their nation – 31,000 we are now told by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

But they also need weaponry.

That can seem like a low financial priority when we have strikes and financial problems here in NI. But UK (and US and European) funding is a small proportion of our overall wealth, and very important for the world – by deterring dictators.