The UK Government used a summit in Kyiv on 16 January 2026 to mark the first anniversary of the UK‑Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, confirming £20 million for urgent energy repairs alongside measures on justice reform, procurement and education links. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy set out the package in a speech delivered in Kyiv. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-ukrainestrengthen-ties-underlandmarkpartnershipas-20m-accelerated-to-support-energy-infrastructure))
Ministers said the £20 million allocation will fund emergency repair, restoration, protection and generation across Ukraine’s power system following intensified strikes on energy infrastructure. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office framed the support as life‑saving winter resilience for homes, hospitals and schools, adding that total UK backing for Ukraine’s energy system now exceeds £470 million, including £153 million channelled via the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-ukrainestrengthen-ties-underlandmarkpartnershipas-20m-accelerated-to-support-energy-infrastructure))
On justice reform, the Ministry of Justice confirmed specialised training for Ukrainian commercial judges, to be delivered independently by the judiciary of England and Wales. The intention is to improve the handling of commercial disputes and give investors greater legal certainty, supporting reconstruction finance and long‑term growth. This builds on earlier UK‑Ukraine cooperation on rule‑of‑law reform agreed in 2025. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-marks-first-year-of-100-year-partnership-in-kyiv-for-reform))
Trade and procurement links were strengthened through a new memorandum of understanding between UK Export Finance and Ukraine’s export credit agency, ECA Ukraine. According to the Department for Business and Trade, the MoU is intended to deepen collaboration, reduce risk for exporters and unlock bilateral projects tied to recovery and rebuilding. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-marks-first-year-of-100-year-partnership-in-kyiv-for-reform))
Education ties are expanding. The Government said 300 additional schools across both countries will join the twinning scheme over the next three years, with 54,000 pupils expected to benefit. This scales a programme that drew more than 750 applications in 2025 following its launch and early pilots linking schools in Kyiv and Liverpool. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-ukrainestrengthen-ties-underlandmarkpartnershipas-20m-accelerated-to-support-energy-infrastructure))
On domestic security, the Deputy Prime Minister highlighted UK plans to draw on Ukrainian battlefield know‑how to counter illicit drone use around prisons. The Ministry of Justice separately announced a £6.5 million research push to accelerate counter‑drone technologies, complementing existing 400‑metre prison no‑fly zones introduced in January 2024 and tougher penalties for smuggling offences. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/battlefield-tactics-to-inspire-uk-fight-against-prison-drones?utm_source=openai))
The Kyiv announcements sit within a formal treaty architecture. The One Hundred Year Partnership agreement, signed in Kyiv on 16 January 2025, commits both sides to long‑term cooperation across defence, economic and societal pillars and remains in force for a century unless terminated with notice. A related UK declaration outlines maritime security cooperation and a grain verification scheme to trace produce stolen from occupied territories. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/one-hundred-year-partnership-agreement-between-the-united-kingdom-of-great-britain-and-northern-ireland-and-ukraine?utm_source=openai))
Industrial cooperation is also being scaled. The Ministry of Defence confirmed a new industry centre in Kyiv to help UK firms support Ukraine’s armed forces, building on earlier technology‑sharing deals that plug frontline Ukrainian data into UK production lines and on joint projects such as the OCTOPUS air‑defence interceptor announced in 2025. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-industry-support-to-ukraine-supercharged-with-new-business-centre?utm_source=openai))
For energy companies and local authorities, the immediate implication is a new stream of funding aimed at rapid repair and grid protection; procurement routes will be set out by the FCDO and delivery partners. For exporters, the UKEF–ECA Ukraine MoU signals additional risk‑mitigation capacity on reconstruction contracts. Legal services should watch for opportunities linked to the judicial training programme and related commercial dispute‑resolution work. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-marks-first-year-of-100-year-partnership-in-kyiv-for-reform))
Next steps will be taken through the Partnership’s governance mechanisms, including an annual high‑level Strategic Dialogue. Education partnerships will phase in over three years, while justice training and trade finance initiatives move to implementation over the coming months. The Government’s position is that support will continue alongside wider security cooperation. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-ukraine-sign-landmark-100-year-partnership-to-deepen-security-ties-and-strengthen-partnership-for-future-generations?utm_source=openai))