Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender arrived at the Black Sea port of Odessa, Ukraine Photo: Reuters/Sergey Smolentsev
Britain will use its military -maritime expertise to help Ukraine control the Black Sea as part of a 10-year security pact to be signed in the coming weeks.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) pledges to “keep Kiev in the fight” against Russia by providing military support focused on naval forces, as well as financial assistance and intelligence sharing.
It will also contain promises of post-war security guarantees to repel Moscow's attack. if he considers a second attack, including increasing arms supplies and reimposing sanctions.
British officials have told their Ukrainian counterparts that the country will focus on strengthening Kiev's maritime capabilities as part of a planned memorandum of understanding, The Telegraph reports.< /p>
Military leaders were impressed by Ukraine's actions in the Black Sea, where it forced the Russian fleet to retreat from its traditional stronghold in occupied Crimea.
Some of its weapons, including Brimstone missiles, came from Britain, which before still has one of the most powerful navies in the world.
The new agreement will build on the recent announcement that the UK will join Norway in leading a “Maritime Capability Coalition” to deliver two mine-hunting ships to Ukraine Royal Navy.
Ukrainian soldiers, together with Norwegian instructors, are participating in exercises using standard NATO combat methods. Photo: Getty/Jonathan Nackstrand
“[The deal] demonstrates our commitment to keeping Ukraine in the fight,” said a source close to the negotiations.
“They also include guarantees in a post-war world to help assistance in case of another Russian attack.”
The expected deal comes after G7 countries signed a declaration on the long-term defense of Ukraine instead of NATO membership on the sidelines of a summit of the military alliance's leaders in Vilnius, Lithuania, earlier this year.
About 30 countries, and the European Union are currently negotiating individual long-term security commitments. for Ukraine, using the framework agreed in July.
The UK hopes to use its sea power and expertise to further build up Ukraine's naval power.
The Royal Navy is already training Ukrainian mine clearance specialists on unmanned submarines to defuse, defuse Russian bombs, lay booby traps and mines on their deep sea lanes and prepare for amphibious raids.
Last year, Britain began supplying Ukrainian forces with shipborne versions of the Brimstone missile, which Russian military bloggers have attributed to the attacks. about air defense systems in occupied Crimea.
Ground and air assets
Defense sources declined to give any details at this stage about the weapons that could be sent to Kiev, other than confirming they would also include ground and air assets.
< p>Sir Tim Barrow, the national security adviser, recently held secret talks in Brussels with Vladimir Zelensky's top aide Andrei Yermak about the British pact.
The Telegraph reported last week that European leaders were privately urging Rishi Sunak to channel Winston Churchill and reclaim Britain's role in leading Western support for Ukraine as Germany, France and the US struggle to maintain their support for Kiev.< /p>
The focus of the arms transfers will be on making Ukrainian forces more “interoperable” with NATO to act as a long-term deterrent against future attacks.
Since then, the UK has donated £2.3 billion in military aid to Kyiv annually. Russia has launched a full-scale invasion and is expected to repeat it in 2024.
A key element of the 10-year pact is the further formalization of intelligence sharing between London and Kiev.
Britain was one of the few countries that predicted Vladimir Putin's invasion last February, while European intelligence agencies admitted it. they were unable to accurately assess the situation.
As part of the agreement, the country's armed forces will also pledge to continue the Operation Interflex training program, which has trained more than 30,000 Ukrainian recruits, the largest military scheme on British soil since the Second World War.
Post-war period. Ukraine
The dossier also lays out plans to defend post-war Ukraine, including a promise to increase arms supplies and financial support in the event of another Russian attack.
Any sanctions that Western officials are talking about have caused damage to the Moscow economy of £350 billion, which has decreased since the current conflict resumed.
A Ministry of Defense spokesman said: “In July 2023 in Vilnius, the UK, Ukraine and other G7 members published a joint declaration stating our aim to formalize our continued support for Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, restores its economy, protects its citizens and seeks integration into the Euro-Atlantic community.
“We continue to work closely with Ukraine to provide it with the military, diplomatic and economic support it needs until the end of this war and beyond “, the spokesman added.
The Telegraph can also reveal details of the EU's proposal to Ukraine for a long-term security package, which was discussed by the bloc's leaders at a summit in Brussels last week.
Source close to negotiations over the nine agreements The plan said Kiev would be promised further arms supplies as part of a €20 billion deal over the next four years.
The bloc will seek to “deepen cooperation between European and Ukrainian defense industry,” with the goal of helping Kiev produce more NATO-standard weapons domestically.
It will also extend its training program for Ukrainian troops and pledge to “continuously share intelligence from member states and satellite imagery,” and send an “advisory mission” to the country to prevent the illicit diversion of small arms.
Brussels will also commit to funding mine clearance efforts once the war comes to an end.
In return, Ukraine has promised to its international partners that will reform military transparency, modernize its military and take law enforcement, judicial and anti-corruption measures.
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