UK PM Burnham to visit Kyiv as Ukraine turns 35, Britain to boost long-range strike capability
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will visit Kyiv on Monday as Ukraine marks its 35th Independence Day, making it his first international trip since taking office last month.Burnham is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and chair his first meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing”, an alliance of 34 countries formed by the UK and France in 2025 to support Ukraine with long-term military assistance, defence cooperation and post-ceasefire security guarantees.“On Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes”, Burnham said ahead of his visit.“After all, Ukraine’s security is our security”, he added.
UK to share missile technology
During his visit, Burnham is expected to announce government approval allowing defence company MBDA to release classified information and British components linked to SCALP long-range missiles to Ukraine, according to a statement from the UK prime minister’s office.The development comes as Ukraine and France reportedly explore plans to establish local assembly lines for the missile in Ukraine.SCALP is the French version of the Storm Shadow long-range cruise missile and is jointly produced by Britain and France. The UK was the first country to provide Ukraine with long-range strike weapons in 2023, according to the prime minister’s office.The announcement comes amid growing Ukrainian use of British-supplied drones against Russian infrastructure. Moscow has warned of “consequences” over the increasing use of the drones.
UK backs Ukraine amid war
Britain has remained one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.London has committed around £25 billion ($34 billion) in support for Ukraine, including £16 billion in military assistance, AFP reported.During Zelenskyy’s earlier visit to the UK, London also announced plans to share information on its battle-tested electronic jammers known as “Stone Cloak”.The tablet-sized systems can be attached to drones and are designed to disrupt Russian air defence systems, making it harder for them to track and target the weapons in flight, according to the UK prime minister’s office.
