Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the United Kingdom on Monday to meet with Prime Minister Andy Burnham, marking Burnham's first bilateral meeting with a foreign leader since taking office. Burnham emphasized London's 'unwavering support' for Kyiv during the meeting. The visit precedes Zelensky's trip to Washington, where he will seek to end the four-year war with Russia.
Zelensky and Burnham are expected to discuss increased defense cooperation as both Moscow and Kyiv escalate drone and missile strikes. The meeting follows US-led negotiations that have stalled amid Washington's focus on the Iran war. The leaders will visit a naval base in Portsmouth to address armed forces personnel training Ukrainian service members.
Downing Street announced that Burnham would pledge 'to continue the unbreakable bond between the two nations,' a sentiment echoed in a call with Zelensky last week. London also revealed plans to share a new electronic jamming capability, dubbed 'Stone Cloak,' with Kyiv to hinder Russian air defense systems. Thousands of these jammers, developed under a 100-year partnership, have already been provided to Ukraine.
Zelensky expressed a desire to sign a 'drone deal' to enhance production and technology-sharing. He highlighted Ukraine's need for more missiles to defend against Russia's ballistic missiles. The meeting will also include discussions with approximately 200 Ukrainian military personnel participating in a maritime security exercise in Britain.
The UK's total support for Ukraine has reached 25 billion pounds ($33 billion) since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, including 16 billion pounds in direct military assistance. Zelensky is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday and attend the funeral of US Senator Lindsey Graham, a supporter of Ukraine.
