LONDON, November 17. /TASS/. The UK and Ukraine do not intend to carry out hostile policies towards Russia but they are concerned over Moscow’s military activity near Ukrainian borders, UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov said in a joint statement published Tuesday.
"Our governments have no desire to be hostile or to try to strategically surround or undermine the Russian Federation in any way," the statement says. "We are concerned about the strengthening of the military presence and military activity of Russia on the border with Ukraine."
The statement, published during Wallace’s visit to Kiev, says that "Ukraine and the United Kingdom are strategic partners in security and defense."
"Ukraine’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity is indisputable," the two officials said. "The United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine and will continue its long-standing determination to support them."
On Tuesday, the two ministers paid respects to the fallen participants of Kiev’s military operation in Donbass and laid flowers to a stela at the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. Later that day, the UK Defense Secretary met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
On November 13, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Vadim Pristayko signed a framework UK-Ukrainian agreement which involves a 1.7 billion pound credit for Ukraine. The funds will be provided for construction of eight missile boats, procurement of two minesweepers from the UK and establishment of two naval bases in Ukraine.
The agreement on development and reinforcement of the Ukrainian Navy was achieved during President Zelensky’s 2020 visit to the UK.