UK PM Burnham Plans US Trip to Push Trump on Ukraine Patriots

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to travel to the US next month in an effort to persuade President Donald Trump to allow Ukraine access to Patriot air defense missile stocks before winter, according to Bloomberg. Burnham, who chairs a meeting of Ukraine's allies for the first time since becoming prime minister, expressed optimism about the situation, stating that Ukraine's current inability to defend against Russian ballistic missile attacks due to low interceptor stocks is fixable.

European leaders are considering holding another Coalition of the Willing meeting in New York, with the goal of securing American interceptors and stocks from other countries. However, it is not confirmed yet if Burnham will make the trip to the US. The US has previously backed away from a promise to provide or help Ukraine build interceptors for US-made Patriot missile defense systems, and the war in Iran has depleted global Patriot stocks, leading to supply delays and making allies hesitant to send them to Ukraine.