Friends,\u00a0it is a privilege to join you today. \u00a0I have been to Ukraine many\u00a0many\u00a0times. After the Maidan Revolution, I came to visit friends, I came just a few weeks before the full-scale invasion, and I have been to Ukraine every year since, underlining the support of the United Kingdom.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The relationship between our two nations has become ever closer.\u00a0\u00a0I am talking to you today as the bonds between us grow stronger still.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I begin my speech, I have been asked to convey the following message on behalf His Majesty the King, he writes:\u00a0<\/p>\n
As we celebrate the first anniversary of the 100-Year Partnership between the United Kingdom and Ukraine,\u00a0I do pray that the flourishing bonds between our two countries may bring some hope and moral support at this most difficult time. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s most valiant strength in the face of such appalling hardship and pain is an\u00a0extraordinary example to the world, and I am constantly impressed by the sheer bravery,\u00a0courage and resilience shown by the Ukrainian people.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As we also look ahead to the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion of your beloved country \u2013\u00a0a\u00a0time of great anguish, I know, for many families across Ukraine and the world \u2013\u00a0my wife and I continue to keep you all in our heartfelt thoughts and prayers. \u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u00a0wish, above all, to\u00a0convey my profound hope that Ukraine can achieve a just and lasting peace that safeguards its security,\u00a0sovereignty\u00a0and prosperity, in a way that Ukrainians deserve.\u00a0We stand with you.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And that is from His Majesty the King.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Well,\u00a0I could not agree more with His Majesty\u2019s sentiments,\u00a0which is why I want to start my own remarks by acknowledging the people of this great country.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Those defending your country on the frontline.\u00a0Those keeping your communities going, under such profound fire.\u00a0Despite the brutality raining down from the sky,\u00a0you stand firm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Despite bombs that rip through hospitals meant to heal,\u00a0schools meant to teach,\u00a0homes meant to shelter \u2013\u00a0you stand firm.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Through nights filled with terror,\u00a0mornings that reveal ruin,\u00a0and the unbearable act of burying your own \u2013\u00a0you stand firm.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The world is humbled by your courage \u2013\u00a0but we must not forget your humanity. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Intensifying Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have left hundreds of thousands without heat and power.\u00a0That could have deadly consequences during these very harsh winter months, particularly for the most vulnerable.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
So, today I can announce that the United\u00a0Kingdom \u00a0will\u00a0commit a further \u00a320\u00a0million\u00a0of support \u2013\u00a0to keep the lights on and make sure heating is available for millions of families,\u00a0children\u00a0and the elderly\u00a0people who have already lost so much.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sacrifices Ukrainians are making every day speak to something much wider: \u00a0the idea that nations have the right to choose their own path\u00a0and that freedom is worth defending, even when there is a high cost. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Taras Shevchenko understood that truth long before this war.\u00a0He insisted that a nation certain of its identity will always endure\u00a0and that a people\u2019s spirit cannot be extinguished.\u00a0Because it lives in their culture\u00a0and their courage.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
That idea endures today.\u00a0It is visible in the defence of Ukraine.\u00a0In the resilience of its people.\u00a0And in your determination to shape your own future.\u00a0I am honoured to stand with you.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vladimir Putin and his war are not of course a historical aberration. He draws on a tsarist tradition\u2014the imperialism and authoritarianism of Peter the Great or Nicholas I\u2014and a Soviet tradition.\u00a0He is, after all, a\u00a0KGB\u00a0agent who\u00a0operates\u00a0by deception.\u00a0\u00a0
\u00a0
It was an American diplomat, George Kennan, whose \u201clong telegram\u201d in 1946 warned of a deep continuity in Kremlin thinking. He argued that the Kremlin would respond only to strength.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That was the basis for the policy of containment, as part of which Britain contributed tens of thousands of troops over many years.\u00a0It was that strength, not paper promises, that deterred Moscow during the Cold War.\u00a0
\u00a0
The Kremlin\u2019s record in modern times speaks to the same story. The Helsinki Final Act of 1975\u2014betrayed. The Budapest\u00a0memorandum of 1994\u2014betrayed. The NATO-Russia Founding Act of 1997\u2014betrayed. And\u00a0of course\u00a0the Minsk agreements of 2014 and 2015\u2014betrayed. This is\u00a0the \u00a0foreign\u00a0policy of lies and we must respond with security guarantees for Ukraine, because that is what is needed to secure a lasting peace and shape our collective security so that Putin never invades again.\u00a0
\u00a0
But unlike Putin we, Britain and Ukraine, know that building a strong country for the future is not based on imperialism.\u00a0It is based on business. Trade. Cooperation with other countries. Freedom. Democracy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the UK is honoured to be in a 100-Year Partnership with Ukraine.\u00a0Almost a\u00a0year ago to the day,\u00a0it was my pleasure as Foreign Secretary to set out the detail of that treaty in the UK Parliament.\u00a0As I said at the time,\u00a0it enshrines both sides\u2019 commitment to a relationship\u00a0benefitting\u00a0the whole of our nations:\u00a0business,\u00a0Government,\u00a0communities,\u00a0the military.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 100-Year Partnership commits the UK to\u00a0maintaining\u00a0pressure until Ukraine prevails \u2013 and Russia stops its violations of Ukraine\u2019s sovereign and territorial integrity.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
It reaffirms our support for Ukraine\u2019s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations \u2013\u00a0to build on peace and stability well beyond the war.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because a partnership measured in a century is about acknowledging that our futures are tied together.\u00a0And standing by our commitments to each other, no matter the circumstances.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as Shevchenko\u2019s words endured beyond the moment in which they were written,\u00a0 so too must the relationship between our two countries. \u00a0Since we signed the 100-Year Partnership Agreement last year,\u00a0we have built one of the closest bilateral relationships in Europe.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Through Ukrainian battlefield innovation and UK industrial capacity,\u00a0we are strengthening both our militaries and shaping how defence will work for decades to come.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
But we are also laying the foundations for shared growth, the growth of our economies.\u00a0British and Ukrainian businesses are working together on energy resilience and infrastructure \u2013\u00a0 to build Ukraine and to create stronger, more modern economies in both of our nations.\u00a0 The 100-Year Partnership is about sharing\u00a0responsibility,\u00a0and\u00a0sharing our future \u2013\u00a0because we are stronger together.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The key to a great partnership is understanding.\u00a0That is why a school twinning programme is part of the agreement between us.\u00a0Initially linking 50 UK schools with 50 Ukrainian schools, ensuring students\u00a0remain\u00a0connected to the world \u2013\u00a0no matter how much Russia tries to isolate Ukraine.\u00a0And it allows young people in both our countries to learn from one another.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The twinning programme was so popular, it attracted more than 750 applications from schools. As such, it was expanded back in December with 30 more schools twinned.\u00a0And today\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0pleased to announce\u00a0that\u00a0a further 150 schools\u00a0in each country will have the chance to participate\u00a0in the scheme over the next three years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The concept of exchanging knowledge really sits at the heart of the 100-Year Partnership.\u00a0 UK and Ukrainian legal professionals have been working together for\u00a0a number of\u00a0years now \u2013\u00a0 the\u00a0main focus\u00a0up to this point has rightly been on how justice can be secured for past Russian atrocities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
But today, we are looking to the future \u2013\u00a0at how the law can be a conduit for growth. As Ukraine looks beyond this war,\u00a0the question is how to build the kind of justice system that is central to any vibrant democracy\u2019s success.\u00a0One that gives people and\u00a0importantly \u00a0businesses\u00a0the confidence to trade.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That is why my\u00a0Government\u00a0is today pledging to work with some of our best judicial\u00a0expertise\u00a0to train Ukrainian judges \u2013\u00a0to help further their skills in resolving commercial disputes fairly and efficiently.\u00a0The aim is to give international investors greater legal certainty \u2013\u00a0to contribute to an even stronger investment culture in Ukraine\u00a0and support economic growth.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because justice cannot be an abstract concept \u2013\u00a0it must have tangible outcomes.\u00a0This new initiative will serve both the Ukrainian people\u00a0and those from around the world lining up to invest in Ukraine \u2013\u00a0to the mutual benefit of everyone involved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And then\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0got the idea of shared success behind our enhanced agreement on procurement.\u00a0The UK and Ukraine will sign a new Memorandum of\u00a0Understanding,\u00a0reaffirming\u00a0our joint ambition for Ukraine\u2019s public procurement reforms.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
As well as supporting your reform agenda,\u00a0it will further the aim of attracting increased international trade and investment \u2013\u00a0including as it rebuilds from the damage caused by Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s reconstruction will be one of the greatest national renewal efforts of our time \u2013\u00a0 of course it will be led by Ukrainians, for Ukraine\u2019s future.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the UK wants to be a part of that future \u2013\u00a0British businesses working alongside Ukrainian partners to build a stronger Ukraine of the future and rebuilding Ukraine.\u00a0Building homes that are greener and cheaper to run \u2013\u00a0benefitting\u00a0both the environment and the Ukrainian people alike for years to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One of the many areas where Ukrainian\u00a0expertise\u00a0is\u00a0benefitting\u00a0the UK is drones.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Throughout the war, you have had to innovate under fire \u2013\u00a0to counter the devastating impact of drones on your cities and infrastructure. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the UK, that same technology poses a threat to our justice system \u2013\u00a0with drones used to deposit drugs and weapons in our prisons in the United Kingdom.\u00a0Fuelling addiction and violence,\u00a0both of which put prison staff at risk and prevent them from rehabilitating offenders.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
I am incredibly grateful to the Ukrainian government,\u00a0for agreeing to share your battlefield\u00a0expertise\u00a0that will enable us to clampdown on illicit drones in our country \u2013\u00a0so that we can protect the British people from harm. Thank you very much indeed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I close, I want to acknowledge the international context at this moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We are living through a time of global instability.\u00a0But the reality is this \u2013\u00a0Ukraine\u2019s fight is not diminished by the existence of other challenges across the world.\u00a0The UK\u2019s support for Ukraine does not change with the circumstances.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is grounded in principle\u00a0– and the belief that what you are defending matters to European security and to the world.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Your courage reminds the world that freedom is never guaranteed.\u00a0It must be renewed.\u00a0And it must be defended.\u00a0In that endeavour, Ukraine has never backed down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So\u00a0I want to end where I began \u2013\u00a0with the people of Ukraine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shevchenko wrote for a future he would never see \u2013\u00a0trusting others would carry forward the values in which he believed. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
A 100-Year Partnership is, at the heart, a similar act of trust.\u00a0A promise to this generation and to the next. That as we work together in both our interests.\u00a0We will never compromise on our values: Freedom. Democracy.\u00a0 And the rule of law.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The United Kingdom is proud to make that promise alongside the people of Ukraine \u2013\u00a0today,\u00a0tomorrow,\u00a0and throughout our 100-Year Partnership.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Slava\u00a0Ukraini. Thank you very much.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Friends,\u00a0it is a privilege to join you today. \u00a0I have been to Ukraine many\u00a0many\u00a0times. After the Maidan Revolution,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":294292,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[59,57,58,50,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-373579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-kingdom","tag-gb","tag-great-britain","tag-greatbritain","tag-news","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/373579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=373579"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/373579\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=373579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=373579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=373579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}