- 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 comply with deepen defence and safety ties, with the Royal New Zealand Navy getting ready to hitch the UK’s Service Strike Group because it heads to the Indo-Pacific
- Leaders additionally anticipated to debate the significance of development 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 yr.
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 in the present day verify that they may prolong their help for the initiative within the UK till the tip of the yr.
Along with their help for coaching Ukrainian troops, army planners from the New Zealand Defence Drive are contributing to the newest considering and plans for post-conflict help for Ukraine by means of the Coalition of the Keen.
Prime Minister Starmer may even announce UK contracts price £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 means of each development 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 international locations to make sure the connection is match for the twenty-first century.
The brand new association, which is able to succeed the one signed in 2015, comes after each the UK and New Zealand elevated defence spending to 2.5% and a couple of% of GDP respectively. It should 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 means of the involvement of Royal New Zealand Navy frigate, HMNZS Te Kaha, which is able to be a part of the UK Service Strike Group, which leaves Portsmouth in the present day, within the Indian Ocean.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned:
“Solely by working with our associates and allies and defending our nationwide safety will we be capable to ship on our Plan for Change, placing a refund within the pockets of working folks by means of extremely expert jobs – corresponding to these we’ve introduced in the present day – a powerful and resilient economic system, and higher alternative.
“From the seashores of Gallipoli, to the very important work we’ve 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 doable 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 international locations can work collectively to drive development, ship on the federal government’s Plan for Change, and put a refund within the pockets of working folks.
That may embrace rising ambition on free and open commerce, together with by means of 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 received a worldwide competitors to provide emergency autos to Fireplace and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). Via the ten-year contract, East Ayrshire based mostly Emergency One will exchange 186 autos 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 innovative tools supporting development, farming sustainability and meals safety.
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