On January 12, the President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of Great Britain in Kyiv signed a bilateral Agreement on Security Co-operation, which experts called a strategic legal step in countering Russian aggression. The main components of the security obligations provided to Ukraine by the UK in the Agreement are: provision of comprehensive assistance to Ukraine for the protection and the restoration of its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, including the territorial sea and free economic (maritime) zone, reconstruction of its national economy, and the protection of its citizens.
Among other things, the Agreement speaks of supporting to Ukraine’s development of a Navy and the Sea Guard of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine that can execute mine clearance, and conduct maritime ISR, patrols, coastal defence and freedom of navigation, helping Ukraine to rebuild their economy. The agreement says that “the Maritime Capability Coalition aims to support Ukraine to become a net contributor to maritime security across the Black Sea and Azov Sea out to 2035 and beyond”. Also, according to the Agreement, the UK will support Ukraine in planning the reintegration of the currently occupied territories.
Thus, the document becomes key in the formation of a subsequent legal platform for the de-occupation and reintegration of the Crimea; as ARC’s expert Professor Borys Babin pointed out on this issue, “Russia now receives binding consequences from Ukraine’s treaties on countering aggression, and such consequences will be clearly recognized as legitimate in international courts and organizations”, with reference to the Agreement. The expert also states that “a number of governments of civilized countries are now faced with a very simple choice: whether to conclude similar agreements with Ukraine (a rhetorical question) and whether the current Agreement will become a precedent in content and procedure: in this dimension, it is impossible for our other partners to ignore its approach”.
