UK, Ukraine Forge Major Tech Deal

(MENAFN) Media reports that the United Kingdom and Ukraine have formalized a pivotal defense agreement aimed at enhancing military technology cooperation, with a particular focus on drone development. This major accord was announced Monday and is expected to significantly boost Ukraine's domestic drone manufacturing capabilities.

The arrangement is designed to link British defense manufacturers with Ukraine’s battlefield innovations, drawing directly from technologies tested in active combat. According to an official statement from the UK Prime Minister’s Office, the partnership will merge real-time data from Ukraine’s front lines with UK production facilities, enabling rapid and scalable production of advanced military systems.

The announcement followed a diplomatic meeting in London between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Their talks centered on strengthening mutual defense strategies and deepening industrial collaboration.

“Technology data sets from Ukraine’s front line are set to be plugged into UK production lines, allowing British defense firms to rapidly design and build, at scale, cutting edge military equipment available nowhere else in the world,” the statement said.

The deal is set to deliver long-term benefits not just to Ukraine’s military, but also to the UK’s broader defense economy, ensuring ongoing investments and job creation through defense manufacturing.

“By harnessing Ukraine’s battlefield innovation and combining it with British industrial strength, we are not only accelerating support for Ukraine’s defense, we are also delivering security for working people through our Plan for Change,” Starmer said in the statement.

“This agreement is not just about today’s fight, it’s about building the defense capabilities of tomorrow, together,” he added.

The pact, which spans a three-year timeframe, also reflects what Starmer described as the “unbreakable friendship” between the two allies. It follows a 100-year partnership treaty the nations signed in January.

Additionally, the UK pledged up to £280 million (approximately $379 million) in bilateral support for Ukraine in the 2025–2026 financial year, aimed at sustaining its defense efforts.

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