KIEV, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The British government will provide 1.3 billion pounds in military aid for Ukraine, the Ukrainian government-run Ukrinform news agency reported Thursday, citing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

       During a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Johnson said that Britain would supply long-range artillery, shore-to-ship missiles and unmanned drones to Ukraine as a part of its military assistance.

       Zelensky and Johnson also discussed ways to address the issue of the blockade of Ukraine's seaports and options to open up critical sea and land supply routes for Ukrainian grain stocks.

       Separately, Zelensky tweeted that he had informed Johnson about the course of hostilities in Ukraine and the operation to rescue the Ukrainian military from Mariupol's Azovstal steel plant.