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Britain and Ukraine are set to formalise a new defence partnership aimed at countering the growing threat of low-cost drones, as Keir Starmer prepares to host Volodymyr Zelensky in London.
Downing Street said the agreement would strengthen global defensive capabilities against the spread of affordable but highly effective military technologies, particularly drones, which have become a defining feature of modern warfare.
The deal is expected to draw on Ukraine’s battlefield experience from its ongoing war with Russia, especially in countering drone attacks, while leveraging Britain’s industrial capacity to manufacture and supply advanced systems.
“Drones, electronic warfare and rapid battlefield innovation are now central to national and economic security,” Starmer said, noting that recent developments in the Middle East have further exposed the risks posed by such technologies.
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Under the agreement, the UK will also provide £500,000 to establish an artificial intelligence centre of excellence within Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, a move aimed at deepening technological cooperation between both countries.
Zelensky’s visit comes at a delicate moment, with Kyiv concerned that global attention may shift away from its conflict as tensions escalate in the Middle East. Ukraine has continued to press its allies to sustain military and financial support.
European partners have, however, reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine, even as the United States recalibrates aspects of its policy towards Moscow in response to rising global oil prices.
