Keir Starmer Pledges Fighter Jets in Final Kyiv Visit

Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Kyiv on July 16, 2026, to affirm that the United Kingdom's support for Ukraine will remain unchanged under his successor, Andy Burnham. During the visit, Starmer announced a 300 million euro investment, in collaboration with Sweden, to deliver 16 advanced Gripen E fighter jets to Ukraine by 2029. This package includes aircraft, simulators, and training, and is expected to support 5,000 high-skilled jobs across 50 UK-based defense companies.

President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded Starmer the Order of Freedom, Ukraine's highest honor for foreign nationals, in recognition of his leadership. The leaders discussed long-term security partnerships, including a 100-year bilateral agreement and the UK's role in the 34-nation Coalition of the Willing. Starmer also pledged 150 artillery barrels produced by Sheffield Forgemasters and confirmed the UK's participation in a multi-billion euro EU loan to support Ukrainian defense through 2027.

The visit took place amid ongoing Russian aggression, with Starmer touring the Podilskyi District to view damage from recent strikes that killed two people in the city. Starmer described the conflict as the "defining cause of our time" and expressed confidence that Ukraine would achieve victory. His farewell tour also included a visit to Paris, where he attended a Coalition of the Willing meeting and received the Legion d'honneur from President Emmanuel Macron.