London, Thanasis Gavos

A security pact which will mainly provide for the provision of naval assistance and expertise from Britain to Ukraine to control the Black Sea is expected to be signed in the coming weeks.

The bilateral “memorandum of understanding” will last for ten years, the Telegraph reveals, and will involve the provision of maritime warfare equipment, such as the Brimsdown missiles already successfully used by the Ukrainian navy, financial assistance and security intelligence.

It will also include promises of post-war security guarantees for Ukraine, believed to act as a deterrent against the possibility of a future Russian attack.

Among those promises will be an increase in arms supplies and the reimposition of sanctions.

According to the Telegraph, British military leadership says it is “impressed” by Ukraine’s military performance in the Black Sea, where the Russian navy has been forced to retreat.

Besides, according to the latest update from the British Ministry of Defense on the war developments in Ukraine, Russia launched a hypersonic ‘Killjoy’ missile on Thursday during an airstrike against a military base near Kiev.

It was the first time since the summer that this “supership”, as Russia describes it, was used.

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron is visiting Paris and Rome today. In the French capital, shortly before meeting with President Macron, he gave a joint press conference in the morning with his counterpart Catherine Colonna.

Referring to the war in Ukraine, the two ministers stressed that their countries will continue to be “strong supporters” of Kiev. “We will continue to be as long as necessary. I have no doubt that we can ensure that Putin loses and he must lose,” added Lord Cameron.

On Tuesday afternoon, moreover, President Zelensky will give a press conference to Ukrainian and foreign journalists for an overall assessment of the situation.