Burnham calls on allies to send more interceptor missiles to Ukraine

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has urged Ukraine's allies to send additional interceptor missiles to Kyiv, as the nation continues to face the relentless bombardment from Russia. At the first meeting of the "coalition of the willing," Burnham emphasized that his group is doing everything possible to utilize their own resources and assist others in obtaining the necessary equipment.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has persistently requested more US-made Patriot interceptor missiles, as Ukraine's existing stocks have dwindled. However, supplies of Patriots have been redirected to the Middle East due to the conflict with Iran, resulting in fewer missiles reaching Ukraine compared to previous years. Russia has capitalized on this shortage by increasing its ballistic missile strikes, which have resulted in at least 23 deaths and over 100 injuries in the past three days alone.

Burnham urged the US to intensify economic pressure on Russia, citing Moscow's struggling economy due to a record budget deficit and declining oil revenues. The UK has agreed to declassify blueprints for its British-made components for the Scalp missile, a French-produced alternative to the Storm Shadow that has been employed to strike targets in Russia.

This decision has faced strong condemnation from Russia, with Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that it would exacerbate the conflict. Burnham defended this decision, asserting that Russia started the "fire" and that the UK and other countries should remain resolute in their support.