Zelenskyy signs law ratifying century-long partnership with UK
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine and the United Kingdom have officially formalized a 100-year strategic partnership. The agreement provides for annual military assistance and broad cooperation in other areas, according to the draft law №0332 on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the law ratifying the agreement. The document establishes long-term frameworks for cooperation in security, defense, economy, science, technology, and culture.
Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed the agreement on January 16, 2025. It includes a significant increase in military support. In particular, the UK has committed to providing Ukraine with at least £3.6 billion in military aid annually until the 2030/31 fiscal year, and thereafter as needed.
The package includes military training, pilot preparation, aviation supply, cooperation in the production of defense equipment, drones, and artillery. It also provides for Ukraine’s participation in joint expeditionary formats, including the Joint Expeditionary Force.
Beyond defense, the agreement covers energy, including green and critical minerals, scientific and technological development, agrotechnology, drone manufacturing, as well as cultural, educational, and humanitarian cooperation.
The document establishes consultation mechanisms in the event of threats or aggression and approaches to maritime security. The adoption of the agreement provides Ukraine with guaranteed frameworks for mutual support for decades, aimed at strengthening defense capability and ensuring stability.
The document notes that NATO membership is the best guarantee of Ukraine’s security, and the United Kingdom firmly supports Ukraine’s irreversible path toward NATO membership.
The agreement will remain in effect for 100 years unless either party terminates it.
