![PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [April 2025]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/downingstreet-150x122.png)
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 26 April 2025.
The Prime Minister met President Zelenskyy in Rome this afternoon.
They discussed positive progress made in recent days to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
They agreed to maintain momentum and continue working intensively with international partners to drive forward the next stages of planning.
The leaders agreed to speak again at the earliest opportunity.
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 25 April 2025.
The Prime Minister met the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Downing Street today.
They had a long and productive discussion focused on a range of issues including Ukraine, energy security, the global economy, and defence.
Both condemned the deadly Russian strike on Kyiv overnight and reiterated that they will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Discussing the ongoing negotiations to strengthen the UK-EU partnership, they both agreed that good progress had been made. They asked their teams to continue their important work in the coming weeks, with the aim of delivering as ambitious a package as possible at the first UK-EU summit next month.
The Prime Minister was clear that he will seize any opportunity to improve the lives of working people in the United Kingdom, drive growth and keep people safe – and he believes a strengthened partnership between the UK and the EU will achieve this.
They agreed to keep in close contact in the coming weeks.
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 25 April 2025.
The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, this morning.
The Prime Minister began by saying he was horrified by the devastating terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, which saw the tragic loss of 26 innocent lives.
He expressed his deep condolences on behalf of the British people to all those affected, their loved ones and the people of India.
The leaders agreed to stay in touch.
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 April 2025.
Thousands of school children across the UK and Ukraine have applied to take part in a landmark 100 Year Partnership programme between the two countries.
Thousands of school children across the UK and Ukraine have applied to take part in a landmark 100 Year Partnership programme between the two countries, further cementing the unbreakable ties between the two countries.
Following the launch of the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership in January, more than 750 schools from across the UK and Ukraine applied to take part in the programme, fostering classroom friendships, cultural understanding and inspiring future generations of world leaders, diplomats and business leaders.
Thirty schools, including Number 219 School in Kyiv and All Saints Catholic Primary School in Anfield, who the Prime Minister joined a lesson between during his visit to Ukraine in January, have piloted the hugely successful programme.
A further 70 are being paired in the coming days, while the remainder will be supported through the British Council’s UK-Ukraine School Partnerships programme until further spots become available.
Children from several schools participating in the 100 Year Partnership school twinning programme will visit Downing Street tomorrow (Friday 25 April). The children, from YGG Pontybrenin, St Marie’s Catholic Primary School & Nursery and English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, will write letters to exchange with partnered schools in Ukraine, many of whom have spent hours attending school in bunkers during Russian drone and missile attacks.
The children will also mark the launch of a new commemorative stamp, designed by both the UK and Ukrainian governments, which will be entered into circulation by the Ukrainian postal service Ukrposhta from the end of this month.
The unbreakable bond between the UK and Ukraine is often best reflected in the friendships formed among our children. These young minds are the architects of our future and security, fostering connections that transcend borders and cultures, and this partnership will deliver brighter futures for children in both countries.
Our support is not only about providing military assistance, which remains crucial in ensuring Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, but also about standing by Ukraine for generations to come, as it seeks a just and lasting peace.
That’s why our support matters not only now, but for our future, as all ages stand up for the values we hold dear, which are fundamental to our national security and Plan for Change.
This unique initiative supports schools to build lasting international partnerships, and explore reading as a tool to expand horizons, build confidence, and boost mental wellbeing.
In Kyiv, the British Embassy’s Chargée d’affaires, Charlotte Surun, attended the official launch ceremony of the new limited-edition stamp at the headquarters of the Ukrainian Post Office.
The launch was attended by children from Kyiv School Number 219 which the Prime Minister visited in January. The children wrote messages on postcards to the students at their twinned school, Liverpool All Saints, as well as messages to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary.
Creating opportunities for young people has been at the heart of the work of the British Council for the last 90 years.
We are delighted to be working with so many schools on this programme, which will give young people the international outlook and skills to thrive in our global society and strengthen ties between the UK and Ukraine.
The unbreakable bonds between the UK and Ukraine have been formalised through the landmark new 100 Year Partnership between the two countries, broadening and deepening the relationship across defence and non-military areas and enabling closer community links, such as this initiative.
Supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s barbaric invasion and rebuild a prosperous, sovereign future, is vital to this government’s foundation of security and our Plan for Change.
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 April 2025.
Prime Minister brings forward £300 million for Great British Energy to invest in offshore wind supply chains ahead of the Future of Energy Security summit.
Communities across the country will benefit from new investment in domestic clean energy supply chains – driving economic growth and supporting thousands of jobs through the Plan for Change.
Workers and businesses in the UK’s industrial heartlands will benefit from an initial £300 million of funding through Great British Energy to invest in supply chains for domestic offshore wind. It is expected that the investment will directly and indirectly mobilise billions in additional private investment – helping de-risk clean energy projects and supporting thousands of jobs and revitalising the UK’s industrial heartlands.
The public investment complements the £43 billion of private investment pledged for clean energy projects since July.
Britain’s engineers, technicians, and welders are being backed by this fast-tracked funding, brought forward by the Prime Minister ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review, which will allow Great British Energy, the country’s publicly-owned clean energy company, to invest in new supply chains for offshore wind manufacturing components such as floating offshore platforms and cables. This builds on the government’s landmark investment in domestic supply chains through initiatives such as the Clean Industry Bonus and the National Wealth Fund.
As part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy, which will turbocharge growth in the UK’s key sectors including clean energy, the new investment in domestic offshore wind is part of the Prime Minister’s drive to ensure that the clean energy future is ‘built in Britain’. The funding will ensure that the nation builds resilient domestic supply chains for components which are essential to delivering clean power by 2030.
It comes after the Prime Minister said that a new era of global insecurity means that the government must go further and faster in reshaping the economy through the Plan for Change, and that this requires a new muscular industrial policy that supports British industry to forge ahead.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
Delivering the Plan for Change means winning the race for the clean energy jobs of the future, which will drive growth and help us reach clean power by 2030.
That is why I am bringing forward much-needed investment in our domestic offshore wind supply chains, strengthening our security and creating good jobs for our welders, electricians, and engineers.
Let my message to the world go out: come and build the clean energy future in Britain.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
It is only by taking back control of our energy that we can protect families and businesses from the rollercoaster of global markets we don’t control.
That is why this government is doubling down on our clean energy superpower mission – driving economic growth, good jobs and investment across our country.
The Prime Minister, ministers and business leaders will gather in London today for the 2-day summit on the Future of Energy Security – hosted by the UK government and International Energy Agency – as countries take action to protect themselves from future energy shocks in these unstable times. Leaders from around the world, including the President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen, will come together to address the global challenges and opportunities of speeding up the clean energy transition.
The Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, the Minister for Investment Baroness Poppy Gustafsson, National Wealth Fund CEO John Flint and Great British Energy Chair Juergen Maier will today write to global clean energy developers and investors inviting them to invest here in Britain. It follows the government announcing a series of pro-growth measures including major reforms to speed up grid connections and overhaul planning rules.
Dan McGrail, interim CEO of Great British Energy, said:
Great British Energy will help the UK win the global race for clean energy jobs and growth by investing in homegrown supply chains and ensuring key infrastructure parts are made here in Britain.
We will work closely with businesses across the clean energy sector to get funding out as fast as possible and get projects off the ground.
Deputy CEO of RenewableUK, Jane Cooper, said,
There’s a huge opportunity for the UK to secure thousands of new jobs and supply chain investment in the sector, which will make our home-grown energy supply even more secure.
The Prime Minister’s funding will be critical to ensuring the UK grasps the industrial opportunities in the offshore wind supply chain, at a time of intense global competition for clean energy investment. By nurturing existing UK companies, and ensuring we’re a competitive location for international investors, there’s an opportunity to triple our manufacturing capacity over the next decade, adding £25 billion to the UK economy and creating an additional 10,000 jobs in the supply chain.
This new government funding is a clear signal of intent to secure those priorities and is vital to unlocking further co-investment from industry.
The funding for supply chains will be made available as part of the £8.3 billion for Great British Energy over this parliament, with individual companies able to apply for grants if they can show that they will produce long-term investments in UK supply chains.
Great British Energy, the country’s publicly-owned clean energy company, will produce a return on investment for the British people, and ensure British billpayers reap the benefits of clean, secure, home-grown energy. This first phase of grant funding is needed to capture investment now and reap benefits of jobs and growth.
More details on the £43 billion announced since July can be found here: Clean energy projects prioritised for grid connections .
Great British Energy’s supply chain fund is expected to be open for applications by the end of the year, with an initial £300 million available for offshore wind schemes over this Parliament. Further details on criteria and eligibility will be published in due course.
The investment comes in the context of the 2024 Industrial Growth Plan, in which the Offshore Wind Industry Council proposed to match fund £300 million of grant investment in the UK’s supply chains with private sector investment.
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 22 April 2025.
The Prime Minister hosted New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at Downing Street today.
The two leaders reflected on their visit to Operation Interflex to see Ukrainian troops being trained earlier today, and the importance of supporting Ukraine for the long term.
Discussing the Coalition of the Willing, the Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Luxon for New Zealand’s ongoing support, adding that the planning phase was making good progress across all four domains – land, air, regeneration and sea.
The Prime Minister welcomed New Zealand’s recent uplift in defence spending, and both agreed the direct link between defence spending, economic security and putting money back in the pockets of hardworking people.
Turning to the situation in the Indo-Pacific, the leaders agreed on the importance of working together to support regional stability and counter malign threats.
They also discussed the strong trade links between the UK and New Zealand, and the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
The leaders looked forward to speaking again soon.
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 21 April 2025.
The UK is set to deepen defence and security ties with New Zealand as the Prime Minster strengthens alliances abroad to protect Britain’s national interest.
The UK is set to deepen defence and security ties with New Zealand as the Prime Minster strengthens alliances abroad to protect Britain’s national interest.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon this morning, with the leaders visiting the training of Ukrainian forces by the UK and New Zealand military as part of Operation Interflex. The visit follows the two leaders meeting at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa last year.
New Zealand trainers have worked alongside British counterparts to help train more than 54,000 soldiers on Operation Interflex, and New Zealand are expected to today confirm that they will extend their support for the initiative in the UK until the end of the year.
In addition to their support for training Ukrainian troops, military planners from the New Zealand Defence Force are contributing to the latest thinking and plans for post-conflict support for Ukraine through the Coalition of the Willing.
Prime Minister Starmer will also announce UK contracts worth £30m for drones produced by SYOS Aerospace, a New Zealand uncrewed vehicle manufacturer based in Hampshire to support Ukraine.
The contract has created 45 jobs at the manufacturing facility based in Fareham, Hampshire, and supports a further nine UK based companies with subcontracts – delivering on the government’s Plan for Change through both growth and security.
During the visit to see the training first hand, the leaders are expected to discuss plans to further step up defence and security cooperation, with defence ministers being instructed to work on a new joint defence partnership between both countries to ensure the relationship is fit for the twenty-first century.
The new arrangement, which will succeed the one signed in 2015, comes after both the UK and New Zealand increased defence spending to 2.5% and 2% of GDP respectively. It will also recognise the vital partnership between the UK and New Zealand in upholding stability and security across Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.
That includes through the involvement of Royal New Zealand Navy frigate, HMNZS Te Kaha, which will join the UK Carrier Strike Group, which leaves Portsmouth today, in the Indian Ocean.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“Only by working with our friends and allies and protecting our national security will we be able to deliver on our Plan for Change, putting money back in the pockets of working people through highly skilled jobs – such as those we have announced today – a strong and resilient economy, and greater opportunity.
“From the beaches of Gallipoli, to the vital work we have been doing together on Operation Interflex and our support for Ukraine, the UK and New Zealand have stood shoulder-to-shoulder for generations in pursuit of peace and stability.
“As the world becomes an increasingly dangerous place, I am proud how much we are doing together to support our national and economic security – stepping up our defence spending, deploying our navies together in the Indo-Pacific, and continuing our work to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to deter an increasingly aggressive Russia.”
Following the visit to Interflex training in the South West of England, the leaders will return to Downing Street to discuss how both countries can work together to drive growth, deliver on the government’s Plan for Change, and put money back in the pockets of working people.
That will include increasing ambition on free and open trade, including through the global Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership and New Zealand and the UK’s landmark Free Trade Agreement.
Total trade in goods and services between the UK and New Zealand was £3.6 billion in 12 months to September 2024 an increase of 5.3%, or £179 million in current prices, from 12 months leading up to September 2023.
It comes after Scottish firm Emergency One won a global competition to supply emergency vehicles to Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). Through the ten-year contract, East Ayrshire based Emergency One will replace 186 vehicles for New Zealand’s first responders, supporting 25 new jobs in Scotland.
The UK and New Zealand are also deepening collaboration in the agriculture technology sector. A new Investor Partnership deal will see New Zealand investment in British small and medium enterprises to develop cutting edge equipment supporting growth, farming sustainability and food security.
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 21 April 2025.
The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre this afternoon.
Reflecting on their shared priority of seeing peace in Ukraine, the leaders agreed there can be no let-up in their support for Ukraine. They also discussed the importance of keeping up economic pressure on Russia to ensure they engage seriously in talks.
On the topic of global trade, the Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to protecting UK interests through a cool and calm approach. The leaders agreed a trade war is in nobody’s interests.
They welcomed progress being made on the new bilateral defence agreement between their two countries and looked forward to discussing further soon.
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 21 April 2025.
The Prime Minister spoke to President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy this afternoon.
The Prime Minister reiterated his iron-clad support for Ukraine. He said that the UK supports Ukraine’s calls for Russia to commit to a full ceasefire and that now is the time for Putin to show he is serious about ending his brutal war.
They discussed the latest developments on the Coalition of the Willing, and looked forward to further progress towards a just and lasting peace.
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 April 2025.
Pub goers will be able to raise a toast to veterans for an extra two hours to celebrate next month’s historic 80th anniversary of VE day.
With parties planned across the country on Thursday 8th May, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has ordered pubs and bars across the country to be able to keep serving until 1am to celebrate.
This will mean venues with a usual closing time of 11pm will be able to keep their doors open for a further two hours on the day, allowing people to continue their celebrations of the milestone.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the whole country should come together to remember the incredible sacrifices made by the wartime generation and to celebrate the peace and freedom they secured for us all.
Keeping our pubs open for longer will give people the opportunity to join in celebrations and raise a glass to all of the men and women who served their country, both overseas and at home.
Pub licensing hours can be relaxed to mark occasions of ‘exceptional national significance’, and the government is keen that everyone is able to raise a glass and celebrate those who served during the Second World War.
Similar extensions to pub hours have previously been used for major Royal celebrations and significant sporting events, such as the Euro 2024 final.
As well as bringing people together for longer, the extension is due to be a welcomed boost to the hospitality industry.
The VE Day commemorations will start on Bank Holiday Monday, with the Cenotaph dressed in Union flags, a military procession from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace, and an RAF flypast over London.
On Thursday 8th May, a day of celebrations across the country will culminate in a party at London’s Horse Guards Parade, televised live on BBC One, with more than 10,000 members of the public attending the event to see performances by stars from the stage and screen.
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association said:
This is a momentous occasion and, as the nation’s second home, the pub is the perfect place for communities to gather and raise a glass to all of those who made huge sacrifices for our freedom.
Extending licensing hours will mean people can come together for longer, nurture community spirit, and allow pubs to host even more commemorative events that honour our veterans and heroes and celebrate peace.
Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality said:
The 80th anniversary of VE day will see communities across the country come together to mark the special occasion, with many gathering in their local pubs to do so.
I’m pleased the Government is extending licensing hours for the celebrations, which will see thousands raising a glass in tribute to those who served in the war.
Michael Kill, CEO, Night Time Industries Association said:
As someone with a strong family background in the armed forces, I know how vital it is to honour the legacy of those who served.
VE Day is not only a moment of remembrance but also an opportunity for communities to come together. At such a challenging time for the hospitality sector, allowing businesses to extend their trading hours during these celebrations offers a much-needed boost while paying tribute to our shared history.