Ukraine, UK sign 100-year partnership agreement
President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a 100-year partnership agreement during their meeting in Kyiv on Jan. 16.
The wide-ranging deal encompasses cooperation in military, energy, scientific, cultural, economic, and other sectors.
The agreement builds upon the trade and partnership agreement signed by the two countries in 2020 and the bilateral security deal penned in January 2024.
The document, published by Ukraine's Presidential Office, includes 10 main pillars:
- Strengthening defense capabilities
- Supporting Ukraine's NATO aspirations
- Maritime security partnership
- Trade cooperation
- Energy cooperation
- Justice and accountability cooperation
- Jointly countering foreign information manipulation and interference
- Science and technology cooperation
- Harnessing socio-cultural ties
- Migration cooperation
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure," Starmer said in a statement.
"Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level."
Starmer's visit marks his second to the Ukrainian capital and the first since he was elected prime minister in July 2024. It comes as the U.K. reportedly discusses deploying an international peacekeeping force to the embattled country after a potential ceasefire.
Bloomberg reported on Jan. 10 that Starmer was expected to discuss the peacekeepers' potential deployment with Zelensky during his visit.
