Press release

Foreign Secretary to visit Ukraine

The Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will meet the Ukrainian President and Senior Ministers and announce additional funding for a demining project.

From:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office and The Rt Hon Boris Johnson
Published
14 September 2016

The Foreign Secretary will visit Ukraine 14 – 15 September to reinforce the UK’s support to Ukraine on its continued development since independence. The visit will underline the importance the UK attaches to Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and progress on reform and tackling corruption.

Alongside a series of high-level meetings, the Foreign Secretary will visit the UK-funded HALO Trust demining project working to achieve long-term recovery in Eastern Ukraine, and announce a further £2m grant towards their work until 2018.

The UK continues to support long term-peace building in Eastern Ukraine, including through UK training for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. We are the second largest contributor to the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, which monitors the ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weapons in Eastern Ukraine.

Ahead of his visit, the Foreign Secretary said:

I am very pleased to visit Ukraine so soon after becoming Foreign Secretary, a clear demonstration of the continuing strong relationship between our two countries. The UK fully supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including in Crimea. Our support for reform in Ukraine is unwavering and we are pleased to be working closely with those who are implementing programmes to deliver transparent, accountable and stable government and to strengthen economic prospects across Ukraine.

I very much look forward to seeing first-hand the HALO Trust’s excellent work to remove mines from civilian areas in the east of Ukraine. Building on UK funding of over £1 million earlier this year, I am pleased to announce an additional £2 million support up to 2018 to continue this vital work which saves lives on a daily basis.

Notes to editors:

  1. The additional funding will build on the initial grant of £650,000 to HALO Trust as well as £500,000 to the OSCE for mine action in 2015/16.

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Published 14 September 2016