Burnham to visit Ukraine as UK backs long-range missile production

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will visit Ukraine on Monday, marking his first overseas trip since assuming office. During his visit, he will co-chair a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, a group of countries supporting Ukraine, and meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Burnham aims to announce that Britain will support Ukraine's domestic production of long-range missiles, specifically the SCALP cruise missile, by allowing European missile manufacturer MBDA to share classified information on British-made components.

This move will enable France and Ukraine to establish local assembly lines for the missile, which shares technology with both nations. Burnham emphasized that "Ukraine's security is our security," and stressed that Britain will stand by Ukraine "for as long as it takes." Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Britain has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, providing military assistance, economic aid, and diplomatic backing.

The UK has pledged over £25 billion in military and civilian support to Ukraine. The visit aims to reassure Ukraine and its allies of Britain's continued commitment to enhancing Ukraine's security under Burnham's leadership. The push to increase Ukraine's domestic missile production is driven by the country's increasing reliance on long-range drones and strike weapons to target Russian infrastructure far behind the front lines.

Zelensky visited Britain in late July, becoming Burnham's first international guest since his election as Prime Minister.