Agreement with the UK will allow us to spend more than USD 3 billion on defence in 2024
The Agreement on Security Cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom provides for cooperation in all spheres: on land, in the air, at sea, in political and cyberspace. This will help Ukraine counter russian aggression now and in the future.
This was stated by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal on air during the Yedyni Novyny (United News) telethon.
He noted that the Agreement contained specific security guarantees that were bilateral and partnership-based.
"After the end of this war, the allies must respond within 24 hours to any manifestation of aggression. And now the UK will support Ukraine for as long as it takes. This historic moment would not have come without the enormous work done by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, our diplomatic team, and the work of the Yermak-Rasmussen group, which developed the Kyiv Security Compact," Denys Shmyhal said.
According to him, the Agreement will be in force until Ukraine joins NATO, after which the guarantees laid down in it will turn into security guarantees of the Alliance.
The Head of Government also emphasised the financial component of the Agreement.
"GBP 2.5 billion (almost USD 3.2 billion) is envisaged to finance Ukraine through 2024. These are funds to support the Ukrainian defence sector. GBP 200 million will be used to purchase and supply Ukraine with state-of-the-art drones. We will also receive weapons and technological support for the joint production of weapons in Ukraine and the UK. The financial support is expected to last for the entire 10 years of this Agreement," said Denys Shmyhal.
He stressed that Ukraine was negotiating with partners to sign similar agreements with other allies.
"This Agreement is the first, but not the last. We expect that the countries that supported the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, including the G7 countries, will join and sign similar documents. We have friends who have already announced their willingness to conclude such security agreements with Ukraine in the near future," the Prime Minister of Ukraine said.