Ukraine, UK sign security agreement

Kiev, Jan 13 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and visiting UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have reportedly signed a security agreement.

Zelensky said on Friday that the guarantees prescribed in the 10-year agreement will be in place until Ukraine joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

"We agreed with Britain on security in all areas -- on the land, in the air, at sea and in cyberspace," Zelensky noted.

According to the President, the deal covers issues related to weapons, sanctions, Ukraine's border and post-conflict recovery.

For his part, Sunak said that under the deal, the UK will provide Ukraine with weapons, including naval weapons, and force Russia "to pay the economic price" for conflict with Ukraine.

Sunak, who arrived in Kiev earlier in the day, also pledged that the UK will provide 2.5 billion pounds (about $3.2 billion) in fresh defence aid to Ukraine.

The aid would cover anti-tank weapons, missiles, artillery shells, and military training for Ukrainian troops, he said.