Ukraine-Russia war live: Starmer pledges UK-built guns for Kyiv in landmark deal as Putin’s drones attack city

British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to deliver 150 artillery barrels to Ukraine as part of a “100-year partnership” with the country.

Sir Keir vowed to uphold the treaty signed with Ukraine on Thursday – a “historic” deal set to bring in more economic and military support for Kyiv in the future.

Struck by the “grim reminder” of war while visiting a burns hospital unit in Kyiv earlier today, the prime minister promised the UK would “play its full part” in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.

The Sheffield-made guns will be delivered to Ukraine’s military over the next few weeks as part of this deal, Sir Keir said.

The British prime minister and Volodymyr Zelensky have discussed a French-backed proposal for Western peacekeepers being deployed in Ukraine after any potential ceasefire with Russia.

The two leaders spoke about the plan as Sir Keir Starmer made a surprise visit to war-torn Kyiv on Thursday – but Zelensky said it was “too early to talk about details.”

Sir Keir did not commit to being part of such an arrangement but said “we will work with you and all of our allies on steps that would be robust enough to guarantee Ukraine’s security”.

The idea would see British and French soldiers deployed to the country and has been championed by French president Emmanuel Macron.

A major Russian gunpowder factory was attacked, a Ukrainian official said on Thursday, without claiming responsibility for the attack.

The factory, in Rudsia’s Tambov region, is “one of the main suppliers of explosive materials” for the Russian army, Andriy Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, wrote on Telegram.

“With the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, production at the plant increased significantly,” he added.

Mr Kovalenko did not specify what the consequences of the attack on the factory were, and Russian has not yet commented on the attack.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed the deployment of foreign troops with the UK, he said in a joint press conference with British prime minister Keir Starmer.

It is as-yet unclear what the conclusion of these discussions were, and whether the UK will send any troops to Ukraine.

Mr Zelensky has also discussed the topic with France, Poland, and Baltic countries, he added.

The remarks came in a joint press conference between the leaders, in which Sir Keir said the UK would continue working to guarantee Ukraine’s security.

“We will work with you and all of our allies on steps that would be robust enough to guarantee Ukraine’s security. We will play our full part,” he said.

Sir Keir Starmer and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky have signed the landmark 100-year partnership agreement to strengthen the countries’ relationship.

“Today is a truly historic day, our relationship is closer than ever,” Mr Zelensky told media after the signing the partnership, which will depeen security ties between the countries, on Thursday.

The UK will deliver a new mobile air defence system to Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer told a joint press conference with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

The defence system would be “developed to meet Ukraine’s needs,” Sir Keir said.

The Italian defence chief was also in Kyiv on Thursday, two days after Germany’s defence minister visited and three days after Zelenskyy talked by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron.

These visits are intended to reassure Ukraine but also signal to the US that Europe is getting serious about defending Europe, The Independent’s World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley writes.

Trump’s recent demand that Nato nations should spend 5 per cent off the Gross Domestic Product on defence is being seen as difficult, but not unreasonable.

There are also signs that the Europeans don’t fully trust Trump in dealing with Russia over Ukraine and fears that he might favour the Kremlin over America’s long term allies.

Britain says its 100-year pledge is part of that assurance and will help ensure that Ukraine is “never again vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia”.

This bilateral agreement is intended to offset any decline in multilateral Nato support. The UK will be committed to work with Ukraine in defence, especially in the Black Sea, and drone technology.

Ukraine‘s military said on Thursday it hit a Russian oil depot in the Voronezh region of Russia overnight.

At least three drones hit a target, causing a fire, Ukraine‘s general staff said on Telegram. It added that the depot stored fuel used by the Russian military.

It comes as Russian forces launched a drone attack on Kyiv during Sir Keir Starmer’s visit.