FCDO Minister (): I am pleased to announce
to the House that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Office formally launched a permanent British Embassy Office in
Lviv, Ukraine, on 12 February 2026. The Office, headed by a
member of County Based Staff, represents the UK in Lviv,
Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Volyn, Rivne, Zakarpattia,
Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi Regions.
The British Embassy Office Lviv was established in 2023 as a
temporary measure in the uncertain aftermath of Russia's
full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its transition to a permanent
British presence in western Ukraine is a firm demonstration of
the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership in action. Signed on 16
January 2025 by UK Prime Minister Sir and President of Ukraine
Volodomyr Zelenskyy, the 100 Year Partnership is an investment in
our two countries for the next century, bringing together
technology development, scientific advances and cultural
exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by
Ukraine in recent years for generations to come. Core to that
Partnership is enhanced collaboration between regions and local
administrations across the UK and Ukraine.
Lviv is a critical hub for the UK's presence in Ukraine, serving
as a centre of governance, diplomacy, and humanitarian
coordination in the west of the country. Lviv serves as Ukraine's
western gateway to the EU and NATO. It is a vital corridor for
trade, humanitarian aid, military logistics, and diplomatic
engagement. Since the full-scale invasion, Lviv and other regions
in the west of Ukraine has become a humanitarian hub, attracting
displaced civilians, NGOs, and international missions.
Lviv is also one of the most dynamic economic regions of Ukraine:
Lviv's IT Cluster is Ukraine's largest association of tech
companies, universities, and other organisations, working to
transform Lviv into a global innovation and investment hub. The
regions' tech sector, alongside energy, transport, and defence,
are central to Ukraine's efforts against Russian aggression, and
provide significant growth opportunities for British companies.
The Office was formally opened by His Majesty's Ambassador to
Ukraine, Neil Crompton CBE, alongside the Governor of Lviv
Region, Maksym Kozytskyy, and Mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovyi. This
was then formally announced by Foreign Secretary at the Munich Security
Conference on Sunday 15 February who said:
“The formal opening of our office in Lviv is a symbol of our
enduring commitment to Ukraine. We will stand with Ukraine until
it is victorious against Putin's invasion – and we want to
increase trade and cultural links with the whole of Ukraine.
Our formal presence in Western Ukraine will allow us to do just
that, benefiting Ukrainian businesses and supporting its
reconstruction.”
