Zelenskyy and Sunak sign an Agreement on Security Cooperation. The UK government is increasing military funding for Ukraine
![Zelenskyy and Sunak sign an Agreement on Security Cooperation. The UK government is increasing military funding for Ukraine](/storage/page/22840/76c0f4da9403ec082ec38bc1487bce47d13a6afc.png)
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak have signed an Agreement on Security Cooperation. The UK government will also increase military support for Ukraine in the next financial year.
This was announced by Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his Telegram and published on the British government's website.
The G7 countries agreed to provide Ukraine with bilateral security assurances at the NATO summit in Vilnius last year; the UK is the first country to sign the final agreement. It is intended to be the first step in developing an "unshakeable hundred-year partnership between Ukraine and the UK".
According to the British government, the agreement formalises a range of support the UK has provided. It will continue to provide to Ukraine's security, including intelligence sharing, cyber security, medical and military training, and defence industrial cooperation.
The agreement also commits the UK to consult with Ukraine if it is attacked again by Russia and to provide " swift and sustained" assistance for its defence.
The United Kingdom will also provide £2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2024-2025, which is £200 million more than in the previous two years.
At least £200 million of this money will be used to purchase and manufacture thousands of military drones for Ukraine, including reconnaissance, strike and maritime UAVs. Most of the drones are expected to be manufactured in the UK.
"The UK is already one of Ukraine’s closest partners because we recognise their security is our security. Today, we are going further — increasing our military aid, delivering thousands of cutting-edge drones, and signing a historic new Security Agreement to provide Ukraine with the assurances it needs for the long term," Sunak said.