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UK and Ukraine Sign Defence-Industrial Pact on Drones and AI

Leaders seek to shield support for Kyiv from the Iran war by turning frontline tech into UK‑backed manufacturing.

Overview

  • Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an enhanced UKUkraine declaration to co‑produce and supply drones and other capabilities, with scope to work with third countries.
  • Britain committed £500,000 to create an AI Centre of Excellence inside Ukraine’s defence ministry to speed battlefield applications.
  • Starmer urged allies to maintain focus on Ukraine and keep sanctions pressure on Russia, with NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte joining the Downing Street talks.
  • Addressing Parliament, Zelenskyy said roughly 200 Ukrainian anti‑drone specialists are deployed in Gulf states to help counter Iranian‑designed Shahed drones.
  • Reporting underscored intensifying drone warfare, with Russia claiming to down 206 Ukrainian drones overnight as Ukraine detailed large‑scale Russian drone barrages and continued counterattacks.