UK-Ukraine One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement

The Agreement puts in place a legally binding framework for future cooperation between the UK and Ukraine. It covers a broad range of areas, from defence and maritime security to trade and investment. The Committee supports the underlying rationale for the Agreement and the UK’s support for Ukraine. It heard that the Agreement could contribute to Ukraine's ability to deter future aggression, but notes it lack of substance and detail.

It calls on the Government to provide Parliament with a clear and realistic roadmap as to how and when the activities on defence cooperation and maritime security will be undertaken in particular. The Committee emphasises that any maritime and naval support should contribute to the overall security of the region. Proceeding with the maritime security partnership included in the Agreement should be undertaken following appropriate risk assessments and should be swiftly reviewed in the event of a peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia. 

In view of the potential benefits outlined in the Agreement in terms of UK business access to the Ukrainian market, the report also encourages the Government to continue to work closely with its Ukrainian counterparts on governance reforms and strengthening the rule of law. It suggests that the Government consider structuring aid to Ukraine and cooperation under this partnership so as to best promote and strengthen the rule of law and support the development of good governance principles, which can foster a closer economic and investment relationship between the UK and Ukraine.  

The Government's commitment to pursuing accountability for crimes committed during the conflict in Ukraine through its support for the efforts of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General and the ICC is welcomed. The Committee recognises the challenges this will present and asks the Government to keep Parliament informed of progress. 

The full report is available on the Committee’s website.  

Lord Goldsmith, Chair of the House of Lords International Agreements Committee said: 

“This Agreement was laid before Parliament in the context of a rapidly changing geopolitical environment as regards Ukraine's future. The situation has continued to develop and has moved substantially even in the period between our taking evidence and the publication of this report. This report focuses specifically on the Agreement, rather than commenting on wider events, but we do suggest that the Government formally reviews the arrangements in the event of a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine. 

“With this in mind, we would like to note from the outset, that we welcome the Government's ongoing support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, its position on security guarantees and a US backstop, and its commitment to future domestic defence spending. We believe that these combine to create a necessary backdrop to this Agreement. 

“In this report, we focus on aspects of the Agreement which we feel have some potential to deliver benefits, or are potentially consequential for the UK. We stress that in order for any such benefits to be realised, a clear and realistic roadmap will have to be put in place to deliver on these benefits. This roadmap is currently lacking. We also found merit in the argument we heard from witnesses that the title is rather meaningless, and risks distracting attention from the substance of the Partnership. 

“We report the UK-Ukraine One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement to the House for special attention and debate, in light of the heightened political interest in events in Ukraine and the UK-Ukraine relationship.”