LONDON

The UK and Ukraine signed a "landmark agreement" to share battlefield technology, according to an official statement Monday.

The deal will boost Ukraine’s drone production and link up the UK’s defense industry "with the cutting-edge technology being developed on the front lines in Ukraine," according to a statement by the UK Prime Minister's Office.

It came after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London for talks early Monday focused on bolstering defense cooperation.

"Technology data sets from Ukraine’s front line are set to be plugged into UK production lines, allowing British defense firms to rapidly design and build, at scale, cutting edge military equipment available nowhere else in the world," said the statement.

It said the agreement will also ensure that a defense dividend continues to be delivered across the country, boosting Ukraine’s defense with deliveries of new equipment.

"By harnessing Ukraine’s battlefield innovation and combining it with British industrial strength, we are not only accelerating support for Ukraine’s defense, we are also delivering security for working people through our Plan for Change," Starmer said in the statement.

"This agreement is not just about today’s fight, it’s about building the defense capabilities of tomorrow, together," he added.

The prime minister noted that the agreement, which covers the next three years, underscores the "unbreakable friendship" between the two countries and comes after the two leaders signed a 100-year partnership agreement between the UK and Ukraine in January.

According to the statement, the UK will also allocate up to £280 million ($379 million) of bilateral assistance “to Ukraine for the financial year 2025-2026 today to keep the country in the fight."