UK Seals Historic Century-Long Pact to Back Ukraine in Turbulent Times

Sir Keir Starmer has committed to placing Ukraine in the “optimal possible position” during a visit to Kyiv where he signed a “historic” 100-year agreement with the war-impacted nation.

The prime minister’s visit on Thursday was momentarily overshadowed by loud explosions and air raid alarms following a reported Russian drone strike that was thwarted by Ukraine’s defense systems.

Responding to the “greeting” from Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine would return their own “greeting”.

An estimated one million individuals have perished or been injured in the ongoing conflict. As the invasion approaches its third-year mark, Ukraine is experiencing territorial losses in the east.

Zelensky commended the UK’s dedication on Thursday, amidst broad concerns that the incoming US President Donald Trump, who is set to assume office on Monday, could potentially lessen financial support.

Zelensky is striving to solidify security assurances from significant allies as there are fears the US – which happens to be Ukraine’s main financial supporter – might start pushing Ukraine to negotiate peace with Russia.

Sir Keir remarked that the evident air raid that welcomed him in Kyiv served as a “reminder of the everyday assaults and the resolve of the Ukrainian citizens”.

“We stand with you not merely today, for this year or the next – but for a century – long after this dreadful war comes to an end and Ukraine thrives once more,” he expressed to Zelensky in Kyiv.

He also indicated that the UK would collaborate with all allied nations to ensure that any agreement concluding the conflict would be sufficiently strong to “ensure Ukraine’s safety” and to “deter future hostilities.”

Zelensky had previously appealed for the UK, along with other European partners like France, to dispatch troops to Ukraine for a peacekeeping mission following the war.

Starmer has not clarified if the UK would send troops – merely stating in response to a reporter’s inquiry: “It’s crucial that Ukraine is placed in the strongest possible position.”

The recent commitments enhance the £12.8bn already provided by the UK to Ukraine, along with pledges of £3bn annually for “as long as necessary”.

In addition to military assistance, such as the delivery of a new mobile air defense mechanism to be developed in the UK and financed by Denmark, the agreement encompasses economic support, healthcare aid, and enhanced military collaboration on maritime security and drone technologies.

The UK will also persist in the training of Ukrainian soldiers. To date, more than 50,000 have received training on British territory.

In Kyiv, both leaders visited a memorial where they placed wreaths in the national colors of the UK and Ukraine. St Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery is adorned with images of the deceased and has become a pilgrimage site for mourning families to pay their respects.

Later, as the leaders convened at Kyiv’s Mariinsky Palace, a series of explosions and air raid alarms were audible.

Sir Keir also toured a burn treatment facility, where he interacted with hurt Ukrainians in a rehabilitation section backed by the British Red Cross.

“If Ukraine collapses, so does Europe,” an injured civilian, whose hands and arms bore burns, expressed to the prime minister.

Sir Keir remarked that the wounds he witnessed were “a stark reminder of the steep toll that Ukraine is enduring”.

“One of the outcomes of this confrontation has been to unify Nato more firmly,” he stated.

Zelensky has previously articulated his desire for the UK to assist in acquiring security assurances to prevent further assaults.

Joining Nato is at the forefront of his aspirations, yet Ukraine also seeks its allies to dispatch peacekeepers to the territory in the event that hostilities cease, to oversee the existing front line which could evolve into a buffer zone in any peace arrangements.

Russian troops are advancing more swiftly than at any other point since the nation commenced its extensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, despite Ukrainian offensives against Russia.

As per reliable Ukrainian open-source information, Russia has severed a vital highway and railway to the south-west of Pokrovsk, a strategically crucial node in eastern Ukraine.

They have also achieved considerable progress in other urban centres in the east – Toretsk and Chasiv Yar.

Ukraine has begun employing British-provided Storm Shadow missiles to target Russian military installations far from the border.

The collaboration announced on Thursday, consisting of a treaty and a political statement, is set to be presented to Parliament in the approaching weeks. The groundwork for this partnership originated during the former Conservative administration.

While this marks his initial visit as prime minister, Sir Keir had previously traveled to Ukraine when he was the opposition leader in 2023 and has hosted Zelensky twice at Downing Street since assuming office.

Further reporting by Alex Smith and Zahra Fatima