Burnham supports Ukraine in first leader meeting with Zelenskyy
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged continued aid as Zelenskyy stopped in England before talks with Donald Trump in Washington.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham supports Ukraine and will keep Britain’s existing commitments to Kyiv, he told President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during talks in England on Monday. The meeting mattered because it was Burnham’s first bilateral encounter with a foreign leader since taking office, and it came as Zelenskyy headed to Washington to seek progress on ending Russia’s war.
According to AFP, Zelenskyy stopped in England before a July 28 visit to Washington, DC, where he is due to discuss the war with US President Donald Trump. The conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, is now in its fifth year.
Burnham told Zelenskyy it was “no accident” that the Ukrainian president was the first international leader he had welcomed in Britain. “We are with Ukraine 100 percent,” Burnham said, adding that he would honor every commitment Britain had made to Kyiv.
What did Burnham promise Ukraine?
Burnham promised that the UK would maintain its backing for Ukraine and said he planned to visit the country “soon,” according to AFP. His office also said Britain would provide Ukraine with the intellectual property for the UK’s new “Stone Cloak” electronic warfare system.
Burnham’s office said the Stone Cloak system can jam Russian air defenses and help stop drones from being detected. The move points to closer defense cooperation between Britain and Ukraine as Kyiv seeks more tools to resist Russian attacks.
The two leaders also visited a naval base in Portsmouth, on England’s south coast, where they met service personnel involved in training Ukrainian troops. The UK government said those forces have been taking part in an exercise focused on strengthening combat skills and countering mines in the Black Sea.
Downing Street said British support for Ukraine has reached 25 billion pounds, or $33bn, since 2022. That total includes 16 billion pounds, or $21bn, in direct military assistance.
Why is Zelenskyy seeking more air defence?
Zelenskyy told Sky News on Sunday that Ukraine wants a strong “drone deal” with Britain to increase production and share technology. He also said Ukraine does not have enough missiles to defend against Russia’s fast ballistic missiles, which have strained Ukrainian air defenses during recent deadly attacks.
Zelenskyy said Moscow can increase ballistic missile production and that Ukraine needs air defense “as quick as possible,” according to Sky News. AFP reported that Moscow and Kyiv have intensified drone and missile strikes in recent months, while Ukraine is running short of defensive munitions even as it has had success striking Russian infrastructure.
In Washington, Zelenskyy is also expected to attend the funeral of US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Ukraine supporter who died this month after returning from a visit to Ukraine, AFP reported. Trump and Zelenskyy have had tense relations, including a confrontation in the Oval Office in February 2025, though ties have warmed in recent months.
Trump told Zelenskyy on the sidelines of a NATO summit this month that Ukraine could build US-designed Patriot air defense systems capable of shooting down ballistic missiles, according to AFP. Washington has also advanced bipartisan legislation aimed at countries buying Russian energy exports, a step that could increase pressure on Moscow.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was open to considering new ideas related to the Ukraine peace process. Reuters reported last week, citing a Ukrainian source, that US and Ukrainian officials had discussed a possible air ceasefire proposal, while the Kremlin said Monday it had not seen specific information on new peace proposals before Zelenskyy’s US visit.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.