Ukraine and UK Seal Century-Long Alliance

Ukraine’s parliament has officially ratified a landmark agreement cementing a century-long partnership with the United Kingdom, underscoring the two nations’ deepening alliance across security, economic, and cultural spheres.

On September 17, the Verkhovna Rada approved the treaty with the support of 295 lawmakers. The agreement, signed in January by President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, lays out a comprehensive framework for cooperation over the next 100 years. It builds upon the bilateral trade and partnership pact of 2020, as well as the security agreement reached in January 2024, extending its provisions from an initial 10-year term to a century.

The scope of the accord is wide-ranging. It encompasses defense and military collaboration, maritime security, energy and economic development, science and technology, cultural ties, justice - including international legal cooperation - and measures to counter disinformation. A key element is Britain’s commitment to continue its robust military support. The treaty guarantees at least £3.6 billion (.9 billion) annually for Ukraine’s defense until the 2030/2031 fiscal year, with additional aid to follow “as needed.” This includes training programs for Ukrainian soldiers and pilots, military aviation supplies, expanded defense industry cooperation, and participation in multilateral formats such as the U.K.-led Joint Expeditionary Force.

Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk hailed the deal as far more than a standard partnership, describing it as “an alliance for the century” that will safeguard Ukraine’s defense, development, and Europe’s peaceful future. British officials echoed this sentiment, calling the pact a formalization of the “unbreakable bonds” between Kyiv and London.

The agreement was already ratified by the British parliament on May 1, completing the necessary domestic procedures on the U.K. side. Ukraine’s approval now clears the way for the treaty to come fully into force.

The deepening partnership comes as European support grows increasingly crucial amid uncertainty over future U.S. backing under President Donald Trump’s administration. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the U.K. has emerged as one of Ukraine’s foremost allies, providing nearly billion in total assistance, including almost billion in military aid.

During a recent visit to Kyiv on September 12 - her first foreign trip as foreign secretary - Yvette Cooper announced an additional £142 million (3 million) in aid to help Ukraine through the winter. The two sides also advanced plans for joint production of Ukrainian-designed interceptor drones, with manufacturing to take place in the United Kingdom.

This historic agreement, designed to last a century, reflects a shared vision between London and Kyiv: a secure, resilient, and strategically aligned future that will outlast the immediate challenges of the war and shape the European order for generations.