London (TDI): The Prime Ministers of Britain and New Zealand have announced to strengthen defense and security ties, as well as step up support for Ukraine, in a meeting on Tuesday.
According to the British Government, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, visited the training site where their respective militaries are providing training to 54,000 Ukrainian forces in the Southwest of England, as part of Operation Interflex.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, during the visit, also confirmed support for the training initiative until the end of this year.
Both leaders also discussed plans to enhance bilateral defense and security cooperation and stated that their Ministers have been instructed to work on a new joint defense partnership between the UK and New Zealand.
Together with our friends and allies, we will deliver national and economic security for working people.
Great to see you, @ChrisLuxonMP, as our two countries step up our military partnership.
Secure at home. Strong abroad. That’s what our Plan for Change will deliver. pic.twitter.com/t7k70CFde4
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 22, 2025
The British Prime Minister also announced contracts worth £30 million for drones produced by SYOS Aerospace, a New Zealand un-crewed vehicle manufacturing company based in Hampshire, to support Ukraine.
According to the British Government, the discussions between the two leaders would also “include increasing ambition on free and open trade, including through the global Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership and New Zealand and the UK’s landmark Free Trade Agreement.”
While talking about the bilateral relationship between the two countries, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that New Zealand has always stood “shoulder to shoulder for generations in pursuit of peace and stability.”
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He further stated, “As the world becomes an increasingly dangerous place, I am proud of how much we are doing together to support our national and economic security – stepping up our defense spending, deploying our navies together in the Indo-Pacific, and continuing our work to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to deter an increasingly aggressive Russia.”
Britain and New Zealand have significant trade ties. The trade in goods and services between the two countries saw an incline of 5.3% in 12 months to September 2024. Both states have agreed to deepen cooperation in the agriculture technology sector, as well.
During the visit, a new Investor Partnership deal would also be signed between Britain and New Zealand, under which New Zealand would invest in the small and medium enterprises of Britain, to develop state of the art equipment supporting growth, farming sustainability, and food security; the British Government said.
Javaria Khalid is a Web Contributor at The Diplomatic Insight Magazine. She specializes in covering geopolitical developments, international relations, diplomatic, and socio-economic developments in Europe and Pakistan.
