UK House of Lords has opened an inquiry into the Starmer’s agreement with Zelensky
RHODA WILSON
The House of Lords has opened an inquiry into the agreement the UK government has signed with Ukraine. To this end, the House of Lords’ International Agreements Committee is currently calling for evidence seeking answers to various questions including the benefits and risks of the agreement to the UK. The call for evidence closes on 10 March 2025.
In a recent article, Clare Wills-Harrison has explored some possible consequences of Keir Starmer’s agreement with Volodymyr Zelensky which may be useful for those who wish to make a submission.
In an article yesterday, we highlighted the ‘One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ukraine’ and its accompanying declaration. It is a comprehensive agreement of cooperation between the two nations across multiple sectors.
Signed by Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky on 16 January 2025 in Kyiv, it includes provisions for deepening defence cooperation, fostering technological innovation, enhancing economic ties and promoting social development. It also emphasises the importance of addressing transnational threats and climate challenges, as well as supporting Ukraine’s democratic reforms and human rights initiatives.
The Agreement and its political declaration commits both parties to pursue mutual interests through appropriate forums and encompasses a wide range of topics, including people-to-people links, defence, maritime security, economic cooperation, energy, climate, legal collaboration and cultural exchange. It also includes provisions for collaboration in the fields of science, technology and innovation, and aims to boost the positions of both countries as leaders in these areas.
There seems to be nothing that has been excluded. It brings together experts to advance scientific and technology partnerships, in areas such as healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones. And cements the UK as a preferred partner for Ukraine’s energy sector, critical minerals strategy and green steel production.
Even education falls under the Agreement which includes plans to support at least 100 schools in Ukraine and launch special programmes between British and Ukrainian universities, the Ukrainian government stated. It will “build lifelong friendships through classroom projects,” the UK government stated.
Uncontrolled immigration also seems to be on the cards. “After the war, both countries will work to eliminate travel barriers for Ukrainians and Britons,” a press release from the Ukrainian government stated.
According to the Agreement, Starmer and Zelensky have agreed “to work together to uphold the principles of the United Nations (UN) Charter and to support the reform of UN institutions, including reform of the UN Security Council” and that the UK dedicates itself “to supporting Ukraine’s irreversible path to NATO membership.”
The agreement was presented to the UK Parliament on 24 February 2024. It will remain in force for 100 years from the date of entry into force unless terminated by either party.
All this will cost UK taxpayers no less than £3 billion a year until 2030/31 and for as long as needed.
Were British citizens asked if they wanted this all-encompassing costly agreement with Ukraine? No. Were Ukrainians asked? Are they even aware of it?
As Clare Wills-Harrison higlighted in a recent Substack article, after being presented to the House of Lords, the International Agreements Committee initiated an inquiry to assess the tangible benefits of the Agreement, particularly regarding defence and maritime cooperation, and to understand its alignment with Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO membership.
“Anyone can partake [in the inquiry] and if you would like to do so please read the call for evidence here before doing so – Call for Evidence – Committees – UK Parliament. The deadline for submissions is 10 March 2025,” Wills-Harrison noted.
The Agreement is also being referred to as a treaty by both the Government and corporate media. The call for evidence document states, ”The Partnership comprises both a short, legally binding treaty and a more detailed non-binding political declaration.”
In her article, Wills-Harrison explores whether this document is an “agreement” or a “treaty” and why the difference between the two matters:
It all comes down to formality, legally binding nature, and the process involved in creation and ratification. Treaties are formal, legally binding international agreements between states or international organisations, typically addressing serious obligations, such as changes to trade relations, defence cooperation, or territorial boundaries. They are international law instruments and have legal effects both on the parties involved and, in many cases, on domestic law if the treaty necessitates changes to the same, or requires its implementation within the domestic legal system. In the UK, treaties are usually subject to ratification procedures under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (“CRAG Act”) and must be laid before Parliament for 21 sitting days before they can be ratified.
On the other hand, a Partnership Agreement typically refers to a less formal or less legally binding arrangement between two parties, often used to define the terms of cooperation or joint efforts in specific areas, such as trade, defence, or cultural exchange. A Partnership Agreement does not carry the same legal weight as a Treaty in terms of international obligations and is often just a memorandum of understanding or a framework agreement, which sets out broad principles and goals for cooperation rather than legally binding terms. Partnership agreements do not require the same formal ratification procedures that a treaty does, and are usually non-binding, although they still have political or economic weight as they establish a framework for cooperation, collaboration, or mutual goals without creating specific obligations enforceable under international law.
This particular agreement was laid before Parliament in accordance with the CRAG Act on 24 February 2025 (see HERE). Therefore, the 21-day period during which Parliament can object to the Agreement seems to be expiring on 17 March 2025.
Given that both a Treaty and Agreement can be subjected to the procedure under the CRAG Act, the fact the Agreement has been laid before Parliament does not definitively answer the question as to what this document actually is [whether its an agreement or a treaty].
After reading the documents for the Partnership Agreement I have personally concluded, (and I may well be wrong), that the agreement includes binding commitments in areas such as defence, trade, migration and justice cooperation. However, enforcement mechanisms are relatively soft … it lends itself to being a hybrid of both an Agreement and a Treaty.
Legislation Watch: The UK-Ukraine 100-Year Partnership Agreement, Conscientious Currency, 4 March 2025
Wills-Harrison then goes on to describe some of the clauses the Agreement contains and their potential repercussions on both Ukrainian and British citizens. For example, if it is regarded as a treaty, “we could very well see new domestic laws curbing free speech under the guise of adhering to the terms of Article 7” of the ‘One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ukraine’.
“This document may well serve as a vehicle not only for expanding support to Ukraine – support that has not been subject to our approval – but also as a tool to further erode our rights to free speech and protest, under the pretext of protecting Ukraine and silencing negative commentary about UK/Ukraine policy,” Wills-Harrison warned.
Further resources:
- Press Release: One Hundred Year Partnership agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ukraine, UK Government, 16 January 2025
- Press Release: Ukraine and the United Kingdom Signed a Comprehensive One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement that Strengthens Cooperation in Defence, Economic and Other Spheres, Ukraine Government, 16 January 2025
- UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership Declaration, UK Government, 17 January 2025
- Treaty Timeline: One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ukraine, UK Government
- One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ukraine, Ukraine Government, 16 January 2025
- Insight: UK-Ukraine 100-year partnership agreement, UK Government, 5 February 2025
This article (UK House of Lords has opened an inquiry into the Starmer’s agreement with Zelensky) was created and published by The Expose and is republished here under “Fair Use” with attribution to the author Rhoda Wilson
Featured image: realpolitika.ge/
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