UK and Romania sign defence treaty aimed at strengthening support for Ukraine

The UK and Romania have signed a defence treaty as the two nations continue their efforts to support war-torn Ukraine.

Defence Secretary John Healey and his counterpart, Angel Tilvar, signed the agreement at the Ministry of Defence in London on Tuesday.

The two Nato allies have agreed to establish a joint defence committee, aimed at co-ordinating their work to support Ukraine.

Romania has sent military personnel to the UK to help train more than 45,000 Ukrainian recruits as part of Operation Interflex, which teaches basic infantry and combat skills.

It has also worked with British armed forces on numerous exercises, including Nato training in the Carpathian Mountains, earlier this autumn, to practise deployment in difficult terrain.

Mr Healey said the agreement “demonstrates how quickly the UK’s defence relationship with Romania is growing and it shows our shared commitment to peace and security in Europe”.

On Tuesday afternoon, Sir Keir Starmer hosted Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu in Downing Street.

In No 10’s White Room – the venue most often used for hosting foreign leaders – Sir Keir spoke of the “huge and important” relationship the UK has with Romania.

His counterpart pointed to the 550,000 Romanians living in the UK as evidence of the two nations’ ties.

At home in Romania, Mr Ciolacu is the favourite in the race to be the eastern European country’s next president.

The election will take place on November 24.