Sir Keir Starmer is visiting Ukraine on Thursday to announce a new 100-year “partnership” on the eve of Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

The Prime Minister will hold face-to-face talks with Volodymyr Zelensky in his first visit to the country since entering Downing Street last July.

The partnership will cover nine different areas, including the UK and Ukraine working more closely on science and technology, healthcare and disease, and space and drones.

One hundred British and Ukrainian schools will also partner in what Number 10 says is an attempt to “build lifelong friendships through classroom projects”.

This public embrace by Sir Keir of Mr Zelensky has symbolic timing, coming just days before Mr Trump, a critic of financial support to Ukraine, enters the White House.