UK PM Andy Burnham heads to Kyiv on first foreign trip

LONDON: British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has travelled to Kyiv on his first overseas visit since taking office, choosing Ukraine as the destination for a trip designed to underline Britain’s continued support for the country amid its ongoing war with Russia.

Burnham’s visit comes on Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day and is expected to put Britain’s relationship with Kyiv firmly at the centre of his new government’s foreign policy. He is due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and take part in events marking the anniversary.

The visit carries a strong political message. Burnham is expected to tell Ukrainians that Britain’s commitment to their country will not weaken and that London will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary.

“Ukraine’s security is our security,” Burnham said ahead of the visit, stressing that Britain would remain alongside Ukraine through the conflict and its eventual reconstruction.

One of the most significant announcements surrounding the trip concerns Ukraine’s long-range missile capabilities. Britain has agreed that defence company MBDA can release classified information relating to British components used in the SCALP long-range missile.

The move is intended to help Ukraine and France establish local assembly lines for the missile in Ukraine, potentially strengthening Kyiv’s ability to produce long-range weapons domestically. SCALP shares French and British technology with the UK’s Storm Shadow missile.

Burnham will also chair his first meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, a group of countries working to strengthen support and security arrangements for Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are among the European leaders involved in the meeting.

The gathering comes at a difficult moment for Ukraine, with Russian attacks continuing and Kyiv seeking stronger air-defence support from its European partners. European governments have increasingly stressed the need for long-term assistance as the war enters another year.

For Burnham, the Kyiv visit also offers an early opportunity to establish his international credentials as prime minister. His government has pledged to maintain Britain’s close partnership with Ukraine, building on support provided by previous administrations.

Burnham is also expected to accept an award on behalf of the British people in recognition of the UK’s support for Ukraine.

The prime minister has made his position clear: Britain will not step back from its commitment to Kyiv until a just and lasting peace is achieved.

As Burnham meets Zelenskyy and other international leaders in Kyiv, his first foreign trip is likely to be watched closely in both European capitals and Moscow, signalling how firmly the new British government intends to stand behind Ukraine.