The missiles will be produced at Thales in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the order will create 200 jobs and support 700 existing ones.

The Thales missile factory is to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth up to £1.6bn, the UK government announced. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the order as he laid out a four-point plan to "reach peace and defend Ukraine".

LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday announced a new 1.6 billion pound ($2 billion) deal that would allow Ukraine to purchase 5,000 air-defence missiles using export finance.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged more military aid, as well as the possibility of weapons and boots on the ground, to secure peace in Ukraine.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill said Monday that she was "incredulous" at a £1.6 billion UK government deal for a Belfast arms plant to supply Ukraine with thousands of defence missiles.