- Prime Minister Keir Starmer and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon set to step up help for Ukraine with new drone contract and extension to Operation Interflex
- Comes as leaders conform to deepen defence and safety ties, with the Royal New Zealand Navy making ready to affix the UK’s Provider Strike Group because it heads to the Indo-Pacific
- Leaders additionally anticipated to debate the significance of progress and free commerce for financial and nationwide safety
The UK is ready to deepen defence and safety ties with New Zealand because the Prime Minster strengthens alliances overseas to guard Britain’s nationwide curiosity.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon this morning, with the leaders visiting the coaching of Ukrainian forces by the UK and New Zealand army as a part of Operation Interflex. The go to follows the 2 leaders assembly on the Commonwealth Heads of Authorities Assembly in Samoa final 12 months.
New Zealand trainers have labored alongside British counterparts to assist prepare greater than 54,000 troopers on Operation Interflex, and New Zealand are anticipated to as we speak affirm that they are going to prolong their help for the initiative within the UK till the tip of the 12 months.
Along with their help for coaching Ukrainian troops, army planners from the New Zealand Defence Power are contributing to the newest pondering and plans for post-conflict help for Ukraine by the Coalition of the Keen.
Prime Minister Starmer can even announce UK contracts value £30m for drones produced by SYOS Aerospace, a New Zealand uncrewed automobile producer based mostly in Hampshire to help Ukraine.
The contract has created 45 jobs on the manufacturing facility based mostly in Fareham, Hampshire, and helps an additional 9 UK based mostly firms with subcontracts – delivering on the federal government’s Plan for Change by each progress and safety.
Through the go to to see the coaching first hand, the leaders are anticipated to debate plans to additional step up defence and safety cooperation, with defence ministers being instructed to work on a brand new joint defence partnership between each nations to make sure the connection is match for the twenty-first century.
The brand new association, which can succeed the one signed in 2015, comes after each the UK and New Zealand elevated defence spending to 2.5% and a pair of% of GDP respectively. It’s going to additionally recognise the very important partnership between the UK and New Zealand in upholding stability and safety throughout Europe, the Center East and the Indo-Pacific.
That features by the involvement of Royal New Zealand Navy frigate, HMNZS Te Kaha, which can be a part of the UK Provider Strike Group, which leaves Portsmouth as we speak, within the Indian Ocean.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned:
“Solely by working with our associates and allies and defending our nationwide safety will we have the ability to ship on our Plan for Change, placing a refund within the pockets of working individuals by extremely expert jobs – equivalent to these now we have introduced as we speak – a robust and resilient economic system, and better alternative.
“From the seashores of Gallipoli, to the very important work now we have been doing collectively on Operation Interflex and our help for Ukraine, the UK and New Zealand have stood shoulder-to-shoulder for generations in pursuit of peace and stability.
“Because the world turns into an more and more harmful place, I’m proud how a lot we’re doing collectively to help our nationwide and financial safety – stepping up our defence spending, deploying our navies collectively within the Indo-Pacific, and persevering with our work to place Ukraine within the strongest attainable place to discourage an more and more aggressive Russia.”
Following the go to to Interflex coaching within the South West of England, the leaders will return to Downing Road to debate how each nations can work collectively to drive progress, ship on the federal government’s Plan for Change, and put a refund within the pockets of working individuals.
That can embody rising ambition on free and open commerce, together with by the worldwide Complete and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership and New Zealand and the UK’s landmark Free Commerce Settlement.
Whole commerce in items and providers between the UK and New Zealand was £3.6 billion in 12 months to September 2024 a rise of 5.3%, or £179 million in present costs, from 12 months main as much as September 2023.
It comes after Scottish agency Emergency One gained a world competitors to provide emergency automobiles to Hearth and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). By way of the ten-year contract, East Ayrshire based mostly Emergency One will substitute 186 automobiles for New Zealand’s first responders, supporting 25 new jobs in Scotland.
The UK and New Zealand are additionally deepening collaboration within the agriculture know-how sector. A brand new Investor Partnership deal will see New Zealand funding in British small and medium enterprises to develop leading edge tools supporting progress, farming sustainability and meals safety.
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