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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham held his first meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a U.K. naval base on Monday, pledging new "Stone Cloak" jamming technology to help protect Ukraine's drones on the battlefield.
The meeting, held on the dockside and aboard an aircraft carrier in the southern city of Portsmouth, was Burnham's first bilateral meeting with a foreign leader.
It came ahead of Zelenskyy's visit to Washington on Tuesday, where talks are expected to focus on efforts to end the four-year war with Russia.
"We are with Ukraine 100 percent. I am personally with you 100 percent, Mr. President," Burnham told Zelenskyy after the two leaders, both wearing dark casual clothing, shook hands on the dockside.
Zelenskyy thanked Burnham for an "important signal of support" and said he had invited the British leader to visit Ukraine after the two spoke by phone within hours of Burnham taking office.
Burnham vowed to "honor every commitment this country has made to Ukraine," saying Britain was "going further" by providing new, homegrown jamming technology to protect Ukrainian drones as both Moscow and Kyiv intensify drone and missile strikes.
"It will help them to hit their targets and help save Ukrainian lives. It also shows the kind of innovation our industries can deliver together," Burnham said.
Zelenskyy later wrote on X that he was "grateful" to Britain for "today's decision to provide Ukraine with electronic warfare technologies," saying they would "certainly be useful on the battlefield."
London said it will share information with Kyiv on a battle-tested electronic jamming capability known as Stone Cloak.
When attached to drones, the tablet-sized, military-grade jammers can hinder Russian air defense systems from tracking and targeting them in flight, Downing Street said.
Thousands of the jammers, developed under a 100-year partnership pact between the countries, have already been provided to Kyiv, according to London.
Following their rollout and potential mass production in Ukraine, Stone Cloak will be built into the next generation of U.K. deep-strike capabilities, Downing Street said.
"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.
Burnham and Zelenskyy met aboard Britain's flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, and spoke to armed forces personnel involved in training Ukrainian service members.
"Britain stands with Ukraine, shoulder to shoulder, and our support remains unwavering," Burnham 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," he added.
Zelenskyy wrote on X that the two leaders discussed the development of joint defense production.
"Together, we can achieve even more in the field of drones and other technologies," he said.
Burnham and Zelenskyy also met some of the roughly 200 Ukrainian military personnel who have been in Britain for the past three weeks taking part in a maritime security and countermine exercise.
The exercise was held to prepare for future missions in the Black Sea.
Downing Street said total U.K. support for Ukraine has reached 25 billion pounds, or $33 billion, since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
That includes 16 billion pounds in direct military assistance.
Zelenskyy is due to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday, a White House official said, as U.S.-led negotiations to end the war remain stalled and Washington's attention is diverted to the Iran war.
The Ukrainian leader is also expected to attend the funeral of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a supporter of Ukraine who died earlier this month.
Trump and Zelenskyy have had a fraught relationship that has ranged from a shouting match in the Oval Office in February 2025 to warmer ties in recent months.
Trump told Zelenskyy on the sidelines of a NATO summit this month that he was giving Ukraine permission to build U.S.-designed Patriot air defense systems capable of downing ballistic missiles.
Washington has also advanced bipartisan legislation targeting countries buying 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.
"I understand the United States is focusing on the Middle East," Zelenskyy told Sky News on Sunday, describing it as "a big challenge."
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