Britain and Ukraine will sign a defence partnership to counter drone threats, combining Ukrainian expertise with UK manufacturing.
LONDON: Britain and Ukraine are set to sign a defence partnership aimed at addressing the threat of low-cost drones.
The agreement was announced ahead of a visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The UK-Ukraine pact will “boost global defensive capability against the proliferation of low-cost, high-tech military hardware, including drones”, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said.
It seeks to leverage Ukraine’s battlefield expertise and Britain’s industrial base to manufacture and supply drones.
“Drones, electronic warfare and rapid battlefield innovation are now central to national and economic security,” Starmer stated.
He added that deepening defence partnerships strengthens Ukraine against Russia and prepares allies for future threats.
The deal will also provide 500,000 pounds to fund an “AI Centre of Excellence” within the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence.
Zelensky’s visit follows his concerns that the Middle East conflict could overshadow Ukraine’s war.
Ukraine’s European allies have vowed to maintain support after Washington partly rolled back sanctions on Moscow.
The move aimed to cool oil prices sent soaring by the Middle East conflict.