Ukraine keeping 'flame of European freedom' alive, Burnham tells Kyiv

Andy Burnham, the newly appointed British Prime Minister, pledged his continued support for Ukraine during an address at St Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. The UK Prime Minister praised the "sheer strength" of the Ukrainian people, describing their nation as "Europe’s protector, not a drain on our security but the front line in keeping Europe safe."

Burnham drew a comparison between Ukraine's resistance to Russia and the UK's fight against Nazi Germany, stating that "my nation kept the flame of European freedom alive in the 20th century, you hold that flame in the 21st." The Prime Minister's visit to Ukraine came during celebrations marking the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union.

Prior to the trip, Burnham announced that the UK would assist Ukraine in producing long-range Scalp missiles by sharing blueprints for their British components. These missiles, the French-produced versions of the UK's Storm Shadow, have been used by Ukraine to strike targets in Russia. Ukraine and France are working on setting up local assembly lines to produce the weapons.

The UK's support for Ukrainian strikes has been met with criticism from Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who claims that British missile forces are participating in the war with all the ensuing consequences. Despite this, Burnham vowed that he would not be deterred from providing aid to Ukraine, even in the face of Russia's "outrageous threats to my country."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented Burnham with an award recognizing the UK's support during the event in Kyiv. In his speech, Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine's determination not to submit to Russia, stating, "Ukrainians will not be cobblestones under the feet of tsars and rulers."

Burnham is scheduled to chair the first meeting of the Anglo-French-led "coalition of the willing" and hold a meeting with Zelensky, who was the first foreign leader to visit 10 Downing Street under his premiership. However, Burnham's visit comes amid domestic political strife within Ukraine, as Zelensky faces challenges from his former defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, who was recently sacked after reportedly falling out with the head of Ukraine's armed forces.