Today, January 12, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Prime Minister of Great Britain Rishi Sunak signed a bilateral security agreement, which will be valid for 10 years. Its full text appeared on the website of the President of Ukraine.
In total, the agreement consists of nine parts. It is included in the development of the Joint Declaration, which was concluded during the NATO summit in Vilnius between Ukraine, members of the "Big Seven" and other countries. With this agreement, Ukraine and Great Britain will deepen cooperation and partnership.
The main security obligations that Great Britain provides to Ukraine:
- comprehensive assistance for the protection and restoration of territorial integrity in the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine, including the territorial sea and free economic (maritime) zone, reconstruction of the national economy and protection of citizens;
- preventing and actively deterring and countering any military escalation and/or new aggression on the part of Russia;
- supporting Ukraineʼs future integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, in particular by supporting Ukraineʼs reform plans and compatibility with NATO.
Defense and security
Great Britain will support Ukraine as long as it is necessary for Ukraine to be able to defend itself effectively. Together with other international partners, Britain will help to strengthen modern Armed Forces, including the transition to NATO concepts and operational procedures, command and staff training, joint exercises, strengthening interoperability and operational interoperability with NATO allies. The agreement will ensure that the military capabilities of Ukraine are at such a level that in the event of external military aggression against the United Kingdom, Ukraine is able to provide effective military assistance.
Also, Great Britain will lead the Coalition of Maritime Security Capabilities and will make a significant contribution to the development of the Ukrainian Navy. The Maritime Capability Coalition will support Ukraine to become a full-fledged contributor to maritime security in the Black and Azov Seas by 2035 and beyond. The sphere of the defense industry will also be strengthened, Britain will contribute to the development of the defense industrial base of Ukraine.
Non-military security
The countries will cooperate in the field of intelligence and security so that Ukraine can detect, deter and disrupt Russian conventional aggression, espionage and hybrid warfare, including by improving cyber resilience. They will also cooperate to improve Ukraineʼs ability to counter threats to information security, primarily Russian propaganda.
Measures will also be taken to combat dangerous organized crime, in particular, they will combat those who try to penetrate into Ukrainian society, have criminal influence in certain regions, for example, in the temporarily occupied territories, and act as a tool of hybrid warfare to prevent reconstruction and reconciliation in Ukraine.
Political cooperation
The agreement recognizes that neither Ukraine nor Europe will be safe until the territorial integrity of Ukraine is fully restored and a just peace is established that respects Ukraineʼs rights in accordance with international law and the UN Charter.
Since the invasion, the United Kingdom has imposed the most extensive package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy. As long as Russiaʼs aggression against Ukraine continues, Great Britain will implement tough sanctions against various sectors of the Russian economy and people who are in the Russian Federation and abroad and support the war, or profit from it, or help circumvent sanctions in third countries. They will also fight the circumvention of sanctions.
Countries will seek to bring to justice those guilty of war crimes and other international crimes committed in or against Ukraine, in accordance with international law.
Fiscal support, recovery and reconstruction
The UK will contribute to Ukraineʼs recovery, fiscal and humanitarian needs, and support Ukraine on its path to greater institutional, economic and social resilience, with a focus on reforms that will underpin these areas.
The country will fund demining, risk education and capacity building for Ukraine through its Global Mine Action Program. Ukraine undertakes to fulfill the full set of political requirements outlined in the program of the International Monetary Fund, in particular, confirming their implementation in quarterly reviews of monitoring processes during the term of the program until 2027.
The United Kingdom will work to facilitate Ukraineʼs access to British private financial companies and institutions, the insurance industry, the technology sector and other areas. It will also develop measures to increase investor confidence and work with commercial insurance markets to attract private investment to meet Ukraineʼs long-term recovery needs.
Russian sovereign assets under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom will remain frozen until the Russian Federation compensates for the damage it has caused to Ukraine. Together with partners, Ukraine and Great Britain will develop mechanisms to ensure compensation for damages, losses or damage caused by Russian aggression.
Humanitarian cooperation
The UK will continue to support stabilization and civil protection needs through the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU) where strategically appropriate. Also, Britain will support Ukraine in planning the reintegration of the currently occupied territories, help in stabilization and socio-economic recovery, especially in the liberated, front-line and border territories with Russia, in order to promote inclusive social recovery. The needs of the most vulnerable segments of the population will also be met, in particular through work to support women, social protection systems and veterans.
Reforms
The reforms will be carried out in accordance with the priority areas defined for joining the European Union and NATO, and the IMF criteria.
Governance reforms: Ukraine is committed to continuing institutional governance reform to build a sustainable democracy, including continuing judicial reform, which should strengthen the procedure for appointing judges to strengthen public confidence in the rule of law.
Anti-corruption reforms: Recognizing that this issue affects all areas of reform, Ukraine is committed to continuing to build its potential and capacity to prevent and counter corruption in the public and private sectors, as well as in civil society, including creating and supporting independent and anti-corruption institutions, able to act with due accountability but without political interference.
Security and defense reforms (including defense, intelligence and civil security institutions): modernization, in particular by strengthening democratic civilian control and increasing the efficiency and transparency of Ukrainian security institutions and defense industries, in particular through measures to support democratic civil control of the Armed Forces, good governance in the security and defense sector, improvement of defense and security procurement processes (both lethal and non-lethal equipment), ensuring where possible transparency of the process, strengthening compliance with Euro-Atlantic values and standards.
Reforms in the field of the economic and business environment: modernizing the economy through reforms that will help attract private financing, increase investor confidence, fight corruption, and create a fair and level playing field for all parties, in particular by reforming state-owned enterprises.
Cooperation in the event of a future armed attack
In the event of an armed attack by Russia on Ukraine, at the request of any of the parties to the agreement, the countries will hold consultations within 24 hours to determine the measures necessary to counter or contain the aggression. Britain undertakes to provide Ukraine with prompt and permanent assistance in the field of security, modern military equipment in all necessary areas, as well as economic assistance, and will also impose economic and other burdens on Russia.
Termination of the agreement
This Agreement is valid for 10 years from the date of its signing, i.e. from January 12, 2024. In the event that Ukraine becomes a NATO member before the agreement expires, the countries will decide on its future status.
Either party may terminate the agreement by sending a written notice to the other country. The Agreement shall terminate six months after the date of receipt of such notification.