UK and Ukraine to sign ‘landmark 100 Year Partnership’

The UK and Ukraine will sign a historic partnership, as the Prime Minister travels to the country to meet President Zelenskyy

• Treaty will bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework to strengthen Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea security and deter ongoing Russian aggression
• Will bring together experts to advance scientific and technology partnerships, in areas such as healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones, and build lifelong friendships through classroom projects
• New UK-built Grain Verification Scheme will also be launched to track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories

The UK and Ukraine will sign a historic partnership, as the Prime Minister travels to the country to meet President Zelenskyy.

The unbreakable bonds between the UK and Ukraine will be formalised through the landmark new 100 Year Partnership between the two countries, broadening and deepening the relationship across defence and non-military areas and enabling closer community links.

From working together on the world stage to breaking down barriers to trade and growth and nurturing cultural links, the mutually beneficial partnership will see the UK and Ukraine advocate for each other to renew, rebuild and reform for generations to come.

The partnership underpins the Prime Minister’s steadfast leadership on Ukraine as his government continues to provide support. Spanning nine key pillars, it will harness the innovation, strength and resilience that Ukraine has shown in its defence against Russia’s illegal and barbaric invasion; and foster it to support long-term security and growth for both our countries. The Treaty and political declaration, which form the 100 Year Partnership, will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks.

It is expected to bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework to strengthen Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea security and deter ongoing Russian aggression, bring together experts to advance scientific and technology partnerships, in areas such as healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones, and build lifelong friendships through classroom projects.

It also cements the UK as a preferred partner for Ukraine’s energy sector, critical minerals strategy and green steel production.

The 100 Year Partnership is a major step in supporting Ukraine’s long-term security – ensuring they are never again vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia – and committing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a sovereign Ukraine for the next century.

Ukraine has a highly trained military, and a thriving technology sector that is rapidly designing and deploying state of the art battle-ready equipment: a security partnership with Ukraine will make Britain stronger. 

To mark the signing of the partnership today, the Prime Minister is expected to announce new UK support for Ukraine from lethal aid to economic resilience.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Putin’s ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level.

“This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come.

“The power of our long-term friendships cannot be underestimated. Supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s barbaric invasion and rebuild a prosperous, sovereign future, is vital to this government’s foundation of security and our Plan for Change.

“Through this partnership, we are creating a strong economy that works for the British people, a safe country that protects our interests at home and abroad, and a prosperous society.”

The Prime Minister will join a Ukrainian class dialling into a primary school in Liverpool today, who will be joined by the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson. He will hear from the next generation about how the partnership will deliver brighter futures for children in both countries, fostering cultural exchanges and learning for youngsters.

100 schools in the UK and Ukraine will be partnered over the coming months as part of a two-way programme built around reading for pleasure. Through sharing stories from their own cultures, they will explore the power of reading to overcome adversity – building links between the countries for generations to come.

The Prime Minister is also expected to see firsthand how UK aid is supporting Ukrainians living under bombardment through a visit to a Ukrainian hospital. He will meet patients and doctors and hear how £100m of UK humanitarian funding is supporting needs across Ukraine and specialist medical care for burn victims, including those maimed by Russian missiles raining down on neighbourhoods.

The hospital is being supported by specialist NHS doctors, who are upskilling Ukrainian medical teams and providing lifesaving opinions on treatment for severely injured patients, both virtually and through short deployments to the country. Many admitted to the hospital have burns to between 30% and 40% of their body surface.

The Prime Minister will also announce £40m for a new economic recovery programme to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds worth of private lending to bolster the growth and economic resilience of small and medium businesses in Ukraine, which form the backbone of the country’s economy.

The programme will create opportunities for UK companies by supporting key growth sectors in Ukraine, opening up enhanced trade and investment opportunities with one of our closest allies. The funding will be targeted at businesses supporting the green economy, and marginalised groups including women and veterans.

It is hoped over the long term, the programme, called TIGER (Triggering Investment Growth and Economic Resilience), will reduce reliance in Ukrainian communities on humanitarian support and help build economic resilience.

And as part of the partnership, a new Grain Verification Scheme will also be launched to track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories. The UK developed the new scheme following an ask from Ukraine to the G7 to help trace snatched grain from Ukraine fields under Russian control, which is then relabelled and sold on.

Using cutting edge science to help determine where grain has been grown and harvested, the UK has developed a database to support Ukraine’s efforts to trace and stop theft of grain from occupied regions.

Ukraine, a country which remains a major supplier of agricultural produce, is crucial for global food security. The database will be handed over to Ukraine from the Environment Secretary in the coming weeks.

Today’s announcement builds on the £12.8 billion package of support the UK has given Ukraine, including £7.8bn of military assistance, a commitment for £3bn in military aid until as long as it takes, and ongoing energy infrastructure support to help hospitals and community facilities provide light and warmth to innocent civilians impacted by Putin’s invasion.

The UK and Ukraine will use an annual high-level Strategic Dialogue to ensure progress on the partnership for decades to come.