On Tuesday, March 17, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine visited London for talks with the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer. The Telegraph reported the visit as a "don't forget about me..." European tour exposing panic in Ukraine that the US/Israeli war on Iran was now capturing the "world's focus" of leaders and media alike. In fact, the reports said that Zelensky was "welcomed by King Charles at Buckingham Palace" with a "warm handshake and photograph"; he also addressed "Parliamentarians" at a Westminster committee room that included the Prime Minister, NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte, Defence Secretary John Healey and leaders of opposition parties. Starmer focused on Britain's affirming a "world leading partnership" and "our shared determination to deepen our defence partnership" with Ukraine. The Prime Minister's office also presented this as "support to partners in the Gulf" and as a "defence partnership" against "indiscriminate Iranian attacks" whilst continuing to escalate its proxy war in Ukraine against Russia and use its "partner Ukraine" to support the US/Israeli aggression against Iran.

In his speech, Zelensky also sought to link the US/Israeli war in the Middle East against Iran with the long-running conflict in Ukraine, insulting the Russian and Iranian governments as the "brothers in hatred". Supposedly, the Anglo-US provoked NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine and the attack on Iran are "defensive" wars without hatred whilst killing tens of thousands in their wars! Zelensky showed the subservience of his Ukrainian regime to these warmongers when he boasted that there were now "201 Ukrainian military experts in the Middle East", with "another 44 ready to deploy", who were sharing their knowledge on how to defend against Iranian drones in support of the US/Israeli attack on Iran. Prior to Zelensky's visit, Starmer revealed who was pulling the strings, when he had said on March 1 that Britain would "bring experts from Ukraine together with our own experts" to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones. This is why Iran now sees Ukraine as part of the hostile anti-Iran coalition associated with the US/Israeli criminal bombing of and aggression against Iran.

During their talks, Starmer and Zelensky signed a "partnership" [1] that will combine "Ukrainian expertise and the UK's industrial base" to manufacture and supply drones and other capabilities. They revisited the UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue [2] going through the "8 pillars" of the provocative "Landmark 100 Year Partnership Agreement" signed in January last year. This agreement Workers' Weekly condemned at the time as a British warmongering "partnership" agreement with Ukraine. An agreement which is in the service of Britain's imperialist ambitions, its monopolies and war industries. It "reveals that the British and European leaders are not seeking a permanent peace but are being forced to make concessions for the 'foreseeable future' on their global ambitions" whilst they "continue to embed themselves in their proxy state of Ukraine, and use it to weaken Russia in Eastern Europe and Asia. [3]"

QinetiQ Drone - Ukraine utilises British QinetiQ Banshee Jet 80 UAVs as long-range kamikaze drones.

This was the British agenda with its cartel party system supporting the talks between Starmer and Zelensky. The Ukraine Defence Partnership reveals Britain's global ambition to continue to embed itself in the Ukrainian state and its war and other industries. Britain is doing this to continue to use Ukraine and the Ukrainian people as its proxy army and weapons producer. It also wants to use Ukraine to help rescue Britain's shattered ambitions in West Asia and try to take advantage of the US/Israel war against Iran. It is using Ukrainian forces and experts it has helped hone in the war against Russia alongside British "advisors". But now Britain is once again engaged in military actions in the Middle East against Iran.

In a government statement to parliament on Tuesday, Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, said [4]: "As I speak, British Typhoons and F-35s are flying in defence of the eastern Mediterranean and across Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq. The UK's defensive military action is supporting the wider region, with four extra Typhoons, three Wildcat helicopters and a Merlin helicopter already deployed. We are increasing our naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean, as HMS Dragon and RFA Lyme Bay approach. As the House is aware, we have given permission for US forces to use long-standing basing at RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia to support defensive strikes against the ballistic missiles that are targeting the Gulf." These bases in Britain and in the Indian Ocean have been used by the USAF to criminally bomb Iran as outright unprovoked aggression - not as "defence". This was followed by the further allegation that "our Cyprus base is not being used in those US operations". Yet it is being used, for, as a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence told the BBC on March 6, "Just this week, we have flown Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets on sorties around the region, shooting down Iranian drones." This base at RAF Akrotiri has long supported operations in the Middle East and, more recently, been used for surveillance flights over Gaza in support of Israeli genocide against the Palestinians.

The anti-war movement in Britain is facing the crucial task of opposing the warmongering schemes of the British government and continuing to expose and oppose these destructive military alliances with Ukraine. These include the Ukraine "Landmark 100 Year Partnership Agreement" signed last year, and the "UK-Ukraine joint statement: Enhanced Security and Defence Industrial Collaboration Declaration", the "Ukraine Defence Partnership", and the "Enhanced Security and Defence Industrial Collaboration Declaration" signed this week by Starmer and Zelensky. These agreements promoted by Britain, and by the Anglo/US-led NATO countries, continue to promote and provoke and escalate war not just in Ukraine but in West Asia and even in Africa and Asia where Ukrainian troops are also now appearing. They aim to build infrastructure for war against Russia and Iran as well as all over the world in the name of a "defensive alliances" and "industrial collaborations". They must be opposed alongside the warmongering NATO alliance itself. This is an urgent aim for all the movements of the people for peace.

Notes
1. UK-Ukraine joint statement: Enhanced Security and Defence Industrial Collaboration Declaration - GOV.UK
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-ukraine-joint-statement-enhanced-security-and-defence-industrial-collaboration-declaration
Ukraine Defence Partnership set to boost global production and national security
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukraine-defence-partnership-set-to-boost-global-production-and-national-security
2. The UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue - GOV.UK
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-uk-ukraine-strategic-dialogue
3. UK and Ukraine sign "Landmark 100 Year Partnership Agreement": Starmer's Vain Attempt to Ensure Ukraine Remains NATO's Proxy against Russia, Workers' Weekly, January 25, 2025
https://www.rcpbml.org.uk/wwie-25/ww25-01/ww25-01-01.htm
4. Yvette Cooper The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs update on Middle east
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026-03-17/debates/5E7F5053-690E-47A6-926D-6A2B1A904946/MiddleEast

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