"We will never forgive or forget these outrages to Putin. Britain is with Ukraine." An article by the UK Prime Minister

Today marks a year since President Zelenskyy and I came together in Kyiv to sign an agreement that was truly the first of its kind – a 100 Year Partnership between our two countries.  

It remains the clearest demonstration that Putin’s imperial ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners is a monumental strategic failure. 

Instead, today, we are closer than ever – finding new ways to deepen our security ties and strengthen our partnership for future generations. 

We do this because of the deep sense of solidarity between our two nations.

We do it because of our shared belief in freedom, democracy and the promise of a better future.

And we do it because of our outrage at Putin's depraved barbarism.  

While Ukraine and most of the world joins together to work for a just and lasting peace, Putin shows his true face by continuing to target its drones and missiles at the Ukrainian people.

This is the language of Putin’s peace-making – killing innocent men, women and children, and attempting to plunge millions into cold and darkness in the middle of winter. With temperatures dropping as low as -20C this has no purpose other than to increase civilian suffering. It is shameful. 

We will never forgive or forget these outrages. 

So, when Putin makes up stories about an attack on his residence – we call these lies out for what they are. 

When he uses a nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile to target Lviv, which is 1,000km away from the frontline and less than 70km away from NATO territory – we condemn it as a blatant escalation. 

And when he strikes a hospital in Kyiv, as he did earlier this month – we expose his cruelty to the world. 

For me, that attack brought back memories of my visit to an intensive care facility in Kyiv last year. I met patients – soldiers and civilians – remarkable people dealing with terrible burns. I spoke to doctors who experienced the strikes on the national children's hospital. And I heard the unforgettable story of a nurse in Chernihiv who carried a critically injured soldier on her back up nine floors to the ICU, after missile strikes had put the hospital lifts out of action. 

While Putin tries to put you through hell, your determination to resist only grows. And so does our admiration for the incredible feats of courage and determination you show day after day. 

That’s why we are standing with you. And that’s why we are driving forward this 100 Year Partnership – to increase our cooperation across every area of society, from education to the economy, to our work to help boost your defence. 

And we are doing great things together.  

Just look at the British and Ukrainian tech experts who have co-developed interceptor drones to defeat the Shaheds before they reach homes, hospitals and power stations. We are building thousands of these interceptors a month to send to Ukraine. 

Just a few days ago we also announced that we are developing new tactical ballistic missiles for Ukraine that will boost your firepower to defend against Putin’s war machine. 

And we continue to work every day to drive forward efforts toward a just and lasting peace.  

In Paris on 6 January, we held the biggest meeting yet of the Coalition of the Willing – 39 countries standing with you. 

We showed once again our determination to keep up our support for your defence while Russia continues its aggression. And in the event of a peace deal we went further than ever in our commitments, together with the US, to guarantee Ukraine's security against any future attacks.  

And, in fact, the UK and France went further still. We signed a Declaration of Intent on the deployment of our forces to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal. 

This is part of our iron-cast commitment to stand with Ukraine, and it paves the way for a legal framework under which British, French and partner forces could operate on Ukrainian soil after a ceasefire – to secure Ukraine’s skies and seas and help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces. 

These are important commitments for the long term.

I want Ukraine to know – especially on this anniversary – that Britain is with you.

We will remain your first supporter in war. We will be your first supporter in peace.

And we will keep working together to seize that promise of a better future. 

Sir Keir Starmer,

The UK Prime Minister   

Exclusively for European Pravda