Ukraine said it shot down Russian attack drones over Kyiv as British prime minister Keir Starmer visited the city to pledge continued military, financial and diplomatic support and sign a 100-year partnership deal between the two countries.
Kyiv officials said debris from the drones fell in five districts of the capital, damaging a car and at least one building but without injuring anyone, hours after Ukraine and Russia engaged in another overnight exchange of drone attacks.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy met Mr Starmer at a memorial wall to fallen soldiers at a landmark Kyiv cathedral and then hosted him for talks, before suggesting that Russia’s drone attack would not go unanswered: “We will also send greetings,” he said.
The 100-year partnership foresees closer co-operation between Ukraine and Britain in fields ranging from defence and security to trade, technology and helping Kyiv achieve justice for international crimes committed by Russia during 11 years of conflict and nearly three years of all-out war.
Russian drones shot down over Kyiv as Starmer signs 100-year partnership with Ukraine
Russia accused of plotting airline attacks as missile strikes cause blackouts in Ukraine
‘We’re very afraid’: Ukrainian refugees in Limerick given 48 hours’ notice of being moved
Moscow says it will respond to ‘massive’ Ukrainian strike on targets deep inside Russia
Mr Starmer said Russian president Vladimir Putin’s “ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level.”
He also announced that Britain would deliver a new air defence system to Ukraine along with 150 barrels for artillery guns from a factory in Sheffield, marking “the first time in over 20 years that these barrels were produced in the United Kingdom”.
“We have already committed £3 billion (€3.6 billion) for military aid this year and we’re going further to support the front line, providing a £2.2 billion (€2.6 billion) loan which will be paid back not by Ukraine, but from the interest on frozen Russian assets,” Mr Starmer added.
His first visit to Kyiv as Britain’s leader came amid uncertainty over whether Donald Trump’s return to the White House next week would affect vital US support for Ukraine and a flurry of talks with top European officials for Mr Zelenskiy: the German and Italian defence ministers also came to Kyiv this week and he spoke to French president Emmanuel Macron and met Polish leaders in Warsaw.
“Today is a truly historic day. Relations between Ukraine and the United Kingdom are closer than ever. We have reached a new level – this is more than a strategic partnership,” Mr Zelenskiy said, a day before Russia is expected to sign a 20-year strategic partnership deal with Iran.
Russia said it shot down 27 Ukrainian drones over four regions in the early hours of Thursday, and an oil depot and gunpower factory were reportedly hit.
Meanwhile, heavy fighting continued in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces are tightening control close to the heavily fortified small city of Pokrovsk.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
