Newsletters
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday in his first meeting with a foreign leader since taking office, using the visit to reaffirm Britain’s “unwavering support” for Kyiv.
The meeting comes before Zelenskyy travels to Washington on Tuesday as he seeks support for ending Ukraine’s four-year war with Russia.
Zelenskyy is expected to renew calls for stronger defenses as Moscow and Kyiv intensify drone and missile attacks. U.S.-led negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict remain stalled as Washington’s attention has shifted toward the war with Iran.
During the visit, Burnham and Zelenskyy are scheduled to tour a naval base and meet British and Ukrainian armed forces personnel involved in training Ukrainian service members, the prime minister’s Downing Street office said late Sunday.
Burnham is expected to pledge to preserve the “unbreakable bond between the two nations,” echoing remarks he made during a phone call with Zelenskyy last Monday, hours after replacing Keir Starmer.
“Britain stands with Ukraine, shoulder to shoulder, and our support remains unwavering,” Burnham, who took office July 20, said in a statement.
“Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve, and we will not back down until we achieve long-lasting and just peace for Ukraine.”
London also announced that it would provide Kyiv with the intellectual property behind a battle-tested electronic jamming capability known as Stone Cloak.
The military-grade jammer, which is about the size of a tablet computer and attached to drones, can hinder Russian air defense systems from tracking and targeting the weapons during flight, Downing Street said.
The device was developed through rapid innovation between Britain and Ukraine under a 100-year partnership agreement signed in January last year.
Thousands of Stone Cloak systems have already been provided to Kyiv to help Ukrainian forces maintain drone operations, according to the British government.
Following their deployment and possible mass production in Ukraine, Stone Cloak systems will also be incorporated into the next generation of British deep-strike capabilities.
“Stone Cloak is the best of homegrown British innovation and proven on the frontline, and it will be vital to protecting our security in both our countries,” Burnham said.
Zelenskyy told British broadcaster Sky News that he wanted to “open a new page” in relations between the two countries by signing a drone agreement and establishing a drone factory in Britain.
“We’re ready to share all our experience with the U.K., and I hope that the U.K. will do the same, so we need to make this drone deal very strong,” Zelenskyy said in the interview broadcast Sunday.
He said Ukraine lacked enough missiles to defend itself against Russia’s high-speed ballistic missiles, which have strained the country’s air defense systems during a recent series of deadly attacks.
“Russia can increase the production of ballistic missiles, and that’s why we need air defense as quickly as possible,” he said.
During Monday’s visit, Burnham and Zelenskyy will meet some of the approximately 200 Ukrainian military personnel and sailors who have spent the past three weeks in Britain participating in maritime security and counter-mine exercises.
The training was conducted to prepare Ukrainian forces for future missions in the Black Sea.
Downing Street said Britain’s total support for Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion more than four years ago had reached £25 billion ($33 billion), including £16 billion in direct military assistance.
Zelenskyy is scheduled to travel to Washington on Tuesday for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, a White House official said last week.
The Ukrainian president is also expected to attend the funeral of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a supporter of Ukraine who died earlier this month.
Relations between Trump and Zelenskyy have shifted from a shouting match in the Oval Office in February 2025 to warmer ties in recent months.
During the NATO summit earlier this month, Trump told Zelenskyy that Ukraine had permission to build U.S.-designed Patriot air defense systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.
Washington has also advanced bipartisan legislation targeting countries that purchase Russian energy, potentially clearing the way for stronger pressure on Moscow.
Trump’s support for Ukraine’s defense comes as he faces domestic pressure to end the Middle East war, which has cost the U.S. $37.5 billion and raised concerns about pressure on American weapons stockpiles.
“I understand the United States is focusing on the Middle East,” Zelenskyy told Sky News.
“I try to manage it now with some Europeans and with Americans and with some other countries,” he said. “This, for me, is a big challenge, a big challenge for Ukraine.”
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
