Uk And Ukraine Sign Symbolic '100 Year Partnership' As British Pm Starmer Pledges To Put Kyiv 'strongest Possible Position'

Official website of the President of Ukraine

• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Ukraine on Thursday to sign a "100-year partnership" with Ukraine.
• The deal aims "to deepen security ties and strengthen partnership for future generations."
• Starmer pledged to put Ukraine in the "strongest possible position."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Kyiv on Thursday to sign a "historic partnership" with Ukraine, just days before President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as US president.

During an unannounced trip to the capital, his first since being elected prime minister, Starmer pledged to put Ukraine in the "strongest possible position."

"Our 100 Year Partnership is a promise that we are with you, not just today or tomorrow, but for a hundred years — long after this war is over and Ukraine is free and thriving once again," he said in a post on X.

According to a UK government press release, the treaty will boost military collaboration on maritime security across the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea in an effort to deter Russian aggression.

The deal will also seek to advance the countries' scientific and technology partnerships in areas such as space and drones, it said.

In a press briefing following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Starmer also announced that the UK would deliver 150 artillery barrels and a mobile air defense system to Ukraine.

The UK has been one of Ukraine's main backers. As of December 20, the UK had committed £12.8 billion (around $15.7 billion) to Ukraine, including £7.8 billion ($9.5 billion) in military aid since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Starmer's visit comes as Ukraine gears up for the return of Trump to the White House.

Trump — who along with his vice president pick JD Vance has been skeptical of US aid to Kyiv — has said that he intends to bring the war in Ukraine to a swift close without detailing how he plans to do so.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have been racing to put their respective sides in the best possible position ahead of his return to office.