Ukraine and Britain signed an agreement on security cooperation: what was included in the document

Ukraine and the UK have entered into an agreement on security cooperation for a period of ten years. This was reported by European Truth.

The agreement, which was previously called historic in the UK, was signed by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak after negotiations at the Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv. The document is called the “Security Cooperation Agreement between Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” and will be in force until Ukraine joins NATO. In addition, the contract provides for the possibility of extension after expiration.

The document became the first among the security agreements agreed upon by the G7 countries during the NATO summit in Vilnius in 2023.

The agreement included a clause on intelligence sharing and military training

It provides for the consolidation of the support measures that London has provided to Kyiv for several years and will continue to provide. The agreement also includes intelligence exchange, medical and military training, cooperation in the field of cybersecurity, as well as other measures within the military-industrial sphere.

In addition, the agreement commits the UK to consult with Ukraine “if it is ever attacked by Russia again” and to provide rapid and systematic defense assistance.

UK announces largest military aid package to Ukraine

Earlier, against the backdrop of the US stopping the supply of weapons and military equipment to Kyiv due to a lack of budgetary funds, British Prime Minister Sunak announced the allocation of the largest package of military assistance to Ukraine.

London will provide support to Kyiv in the amount of $3.2 billion in 2024-2025. Of this amount, about $255 million will be spent on the purchase and production of military drones.

The British Prime Minister announced the transfer of the largest batch of drones in history to Ukraine on the eve of his visit to Kyiv. Most of the drones will be manufactured in the United Kingdom, he said. Nevertheless, London is going to involve foreign partners in production.

More than 20 countries have agreed to provide Ukraine with security guarantees

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said that in 2023, at the July NATO summit in Vilnius, a decision was made on bilateral agreements on security guarantees for Ukraine. During the event, the G7 countries wanted to conclude similar agreements. Also, about 20 more countries have joined this scheme.

As of the end of 2023, 5 of the 31 NATO members – Turkey, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia – as well as Austria and Malta, which are members of the European Union, have not yet joined the declaration. According to Andriy Yermak, head of the office of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, France, Germany, Italy and the UK have already submitted draft bilateral agreements on security guarantees. Ermak emphasized that an important part of the bilateral agreements will be provisions on joint defense production.

Meanwhile, the deputy head of the office of the country's president, Andrei Sibiga, expressed confidence that states that have not yet joined the declaration of security guarantees for Ukraine have the political will to join the document.