The leaders of Britain and Ukraine have signed a "landmark" 100-year agreement that promises to strengthen defence ties between the two countries. It happened during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to Kiev, AFP reports.
Following Starmer's arrival, loud blasts and air raid sirens rang out over the Ukrainian capital as air defence systems in central Kiev repelled a Russian drone attack, officials said.
During Starmer's first official visit to Kiev since taking office last July, he pledged firm support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion and said any agreement to end the fighting must "guarantee" Ukraine's security and independence.
The visit is the last meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is holding as part of a series of talks with his country's allies before Trump's return next week.
The incoming Republican is stoking fears in Kiev and Europe that he will cut Washington's vital military aid or force Ukraine to accept a ceasefire on terms that reward Russia for its February 2022 invasion.
Starmer said he would "work with all of our allies" to ensure that any agreement is "robust enough to guarantee Ukraine's security, to guarantee any possible peace and to deter any future aggression."
Under the 100-year agreement, London and Kiev pledged to "deepen defence cooperation" and boost Ukraine's defence industry, recognising it as a "future NATO ally".
Speaking in Kiev, Starmer hailed the agreement as "a remarkable, first-of-its-kind, new partnership between the UK and Ukraine that reflects the enormous affection that exists between our two nations".
Zelensky stated that ties with the UK are "closer than ever" and called the new agreement "truly comprehensive." | BGNES
