British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraine's capital on Thursday with a pledge to help guarantee the country’s security for a century, days before Donald Trump is sworn in as U.S. president.

While air raid sirens during visits by foreign leaders have sounded before, it is rare for air defenses to actually have to fight off attacking drones.

By Olena Harmash KYIV (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday he would give Ukraine the support it needed to put it in the strongest position to fight Russia in 2025, saying before talks in Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy: "We mustn't let up".

The Prime Minister was greeted at Kyiv railway station by the UK’s ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris and Ukraine’s envoy to London, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, in the country’s capital.REUTERS

The British government says Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will sign a “100-Year Partnership” treaty in Kyiv, covering areas including defense, science, energy, and trade.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraine on Thursday to sign a security and trade pact with Kyiv in a public show of support for President Volodymyr Zelenskiy before Donald Trump returns to power in the United States.

Sir Keir Starmer has promised to put Ukraine in the “strongest possible position” in 2025 as he visited Kyiv for the first time since becoming Prime Minister. The premier arrived in the country early this morning for talks with Volodymyr Zelensky and to unveil a new 100 Year Partnership between Britain and Ukraine.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Ukraine to sign a new 100-year partnership to deepen security ties, the prime minister's office said in a statement on Thursday.

Air defences were engaged in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Thursday to repel a Russian drone attack, officials said, and Reuters witness reported explosions in the city while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was visiting.