Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to strengthen ties between the UK and Ukrainian defence industry.

The UK Defence and Business Secretaries met with President Zelenskyy, Defence Minister Umerov and UK industry leaders on 18 July 2024, to discuss deeper cooperation and how to boost industrial production for Ukraine.

During this visit, the Defence Secretary and Ukrainian Defence Minister Umerov signed the UK/Ukraine Defence Industrial Support Treaty, which will unlock export finance to enable Ukraine to procure UK-produced equipment and support. This Treaty goes beyond immediate assistance to a long-term partnership between the UK's and Ukraine's military and industrial resilience and is a further demonstration of this Government's unwavering support to Ukraine.

It also builds on the three successful Trade Missions to Ukraine, and one inward mission to the UK, with more planned, and the annual £1.5 billion of goods and services trade between the UK and Ukraine.