Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev stated that the deployment of military units to Ukraine by the UK under a security agreement would be considered a declaration of war against Russia.
Medvedev expressed his reaction to the UK's signing of a security agreement with Ukraine in a statement on his social media account.
Noting that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak came to Kyiv to sign an agreement with Ukraine, Medvedev reported that Ukraine attacked the Russian city of Belgorod in the south with cluster bombs provided by Western countries.
Medvedev questioned how the West would react if the British delegation were exposed to cluster bombs while in Kyiv, stating, "One more thing: I hope our eternal enemies, the arrogant British, understand that officially deploying their military units to Ukraine would mean declaring war on our country."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak signed a security agreement between the two countries in Kyiv.
According to the Ukrainian Presidential Office, the agreement includes key security commitments to Kyiv, such as maintaining and restoring territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, providing comprehensive assistance to rebuild its economy and protect its citizens, preventing and actively deterring any military escalation or new aggression by Russia, and supporting Ukraine's future integration with European-Atlantic institutions by endorsing its reform plans and NATO compatibility.
Under the agreement, Ukraine will receive an additional £2.5 billion in support in 2024, contributing to the development of Ukraine's naval fleet. Support to Ukraine will continue throughout the 10-year duration of the agreement.
The agreement envisages cooperation between Ukraine and the UK in areas such as cybersecurity, information security, combating information propaganda, fighting organized crime, and political collaboration.
