Bilateral agreement with UK: Ukraine will also defend UK in event of attack – Ukrainian PM

The bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and the UK stipulates not only support for Ukraine, but also that Ukraine would support the UK in the event of aggression against it.

Source: Denys Shmyhal, Ukrainian Prime Minister, on the national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote: "It is very important that this is a fair deal and a bilateral partnership agreement. So when this war is over, this is an agreement on our alliance with the UK, on support.

Not only does the UK have to respond within 24 hours if there is aggression against Ukraine, but Ukraine will also defend its ally and partner within 24 hours, responding in some way to support the UK if Russia wants to attack our friend, partner and ally."

Details: Shmyhal described the signing of the agreement as "a historic moment".

He also said he was confident that other countries would sign similar agreements with Ukraine.

"It is important that this agreement was the first, and is therefore the gold standard. A standard that sets the bar, the level of security guarantees and security cooperation with our partners, in terms of both supporting Ukraine and providing security guarantees after this war is over until Ukraine joins NATO," Shmyhal said.

The premier also noted that the agreement with the UK provides for one of the largest amounts of military aid for Ukraine.

Quote: "£2.5 billion is provided as funding for Ukraine during 2024. This is one of the largest amounts of military support for Ukraine, which is important. Many of [our] partners have barriers to funding military support for Ukraine and prefer to fund our country’s humanitarian and budgetary needs.

It is very important that such a large amount, almost US$3.2 billion, will be provided to support the Ukrainian defence sector – not only the military, but also the defence industry."

Background:

• The bilateral security agreement between the UK and Ukraine, which will remain in effect until Ukraine joins NATO, was signed during British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s visit to Kyiv on 12 January.
• A separate part of the agreement covers actions in the event of a future armed attack by Russia.
• Zelenskyy and Sunak appeared to hold differing views on whether it is possible to speak of "security guarantees" from the UK.

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