The United Kingdom and Ukraine have signed a new bilateral agreement to strengthen cooperation in civil space activities, marking a significant step in the two countries’ expanding scientific and technological relationship.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed in London by UK Space Agency chief executive Paul Bate and Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, creates a formal structure for collaboration between the UK Space Agency and the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU).

It is the first direct agreement between the two agencies and signals a shift toward more coordinated civil and commercial space engagement.

Commenting on the partnership, Bate said: “Space is central to modern economies, from communications and navigation to climate monitoring and infrastructure resilience.

“This agreement marks an important step in strengthening our partnership with Ukraine in the civil and commercial space sector.

“By working together, we can support innovation, unlock new commercial opportunities for UK and Ukrainian organisations, and harness space technologies to deliver real-world benefits for our citizens.”

Framework for civil space collaboration

The agreement is designed to support joint work across a range of civil space priorities, including satellite applications, Earth observation, and technology development.

It establishes mechanisms for sharing expertise, exchanging data, and coordinating future programmes between UK and Ukrainian organisations.

Officials say the framework is intended to lower barriers to cooperation between research institutions, government bodies, and private-sector actors in both countries.

By formalising these links, the MoU aims to accelerate project development and create new opportunities for cross-border partnerships in the civil space domain.

The deal also aligns with the broader UK–Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, which was agreed last year, and identified space as a strategic area for long-term collaboration.

Immediate funding and project support

Alongside the agreement, the UK Space Agency has committed €100,000 to support joint initiatives involving the European Space Agency (ESA) and SSAU. The funding will support a programme to strengthen Ukraine’s space capabilities.

The first project under this initiative will apply Earth observation technologies to agricultural and environmental monitoring.

Known as SEN4STATUkr, the programme aims to improve the accuracy and efficiency of agricultural statistics by integrating satellite data into existing systems. The project will also extend to ecological monitoring across Ukraine and the wider Black Sea region.

Ukraine’s technical capacity in focus

Ukraine’s space sector remains a technically advanced ecosystem, with expertise spanning launch vehicle development, propulsion systems, telemetry, and control technologies. The SSAU oversees a network of industrial and research institutions employing approximately 10,000 specialists.

This industrial and scientific base is expected to play a central role in future joint activities, particularly in areas where Ukraine has established engineering capabilities and the UK offers complementary strengths in satellite applications and downstream services.

Volodymyr Mikheiev, Acting Head of SSAU, added: “The signing of the MoU between SSAU and the UK Space Agency is an important step in strengthening cooperation between our countries in the space sector.

“We highly value the opportunity to begin a closer dialogue and exchange of experience between our agencies, as well as to bring our national space sectors closer together.

“I am confident that our partnership will contribute to the development of joint space initiatives for the benefit of the people of Ukraine and the UK.”

Strategic positioning in international space cooperation

For the UK, the agreement reinforces its position as a major European player in civil space, with a workforce of tens of thousands across manufacturing, research, and data-driven applications.

The partnership with Ukraine adds to a growing portfolio of international collaborations aimed at expanding the UK’s influence in global space initiatives.

The MoU also emphasises a shared commitment to the peaceful use of space and the development of technologies with societal and economic value.

Both sides are expected to explore additional areas of cooperation in the coming months, as programme leads begin discussions on potential joint missions and research efforts.

Next steps

Following the signing, representatives from the SSAU are scheduled to meet with UK Space Agency programme teams to identify priority areas for collaboration. These discussions are likely to focus on near-term projects that can demonstrate practical outcomes under the new civil space framework.

As geopolitical and economic pressures reshape the global space sector, the agreement positions both countries to leverage collaboration to sustain innovation and expand capability in civil space applications.