UK’s Burnham to welcome Ukraine’s Zelensky as first foreign visitor

LONDON – British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will on July 27 host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, using his first meeting with a foreign leader since taking office to underline London’s “unwavering support” for Kyiv.

The visit comes ahead of Zelensky’s trip to Washington on July 28, as the Ukrainian leader pushes to end the four-year war with Russia.

Zelensky is expected to renew calls to boost defence as both Moscow and Kyiv intensify drone and missile strikes, with US-led negotiations on resolving the conflict stuck while Washington’s attention has been diverted to the Iran war.

In Britain, Zelensky is set to visit a naval base with Burnham and hear from both countries’ armed forces personnel involved in training Ukrainian service members for battle, Burnham’s Downing Street office announced late on July 26.

It said he would vow “to continue the unbreakable beyond between the two nations”, echoing what the new UK leader told Zelensky in a call on July 20 within hours of replacing Keir Starmer.

“Britain stands with Ukraine, shoulder to shoulder, and our support remains unwavering,” Burnham said in a statement.

“Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve, and we will not back down until we achieve long-lasting and just peace for Ukraine.”

London also announced it will share with Kyiv the intellectual property behind a new battle-tested electronic jamming capability it has dubbed “Stone Cloak”.

The size of a tablet computer and attached to drones, the military-grade jammers can hinder Russian air defence systems from tracking and targeting such weapons in-flight, Downing Street said.

It noted the device stemmed from the “rapid innovation” being developed between the two allies under a 100-year partnership pact signed in January 2025.

Thousands of the jammers have already been gifted to Kyiv to help its armed forces maintain drone operations, according to London.

Following its roll-out and potential mass production in Ukraine, Stone Cloak will be built into the next generation of British deep-strike capabilities, it noted.

“Stone Cloak is the best of homegrown British innovation and proven on the frontline, and it will be vital to protecting our security in both our countries,” Burnham said.

‘Drone deal’ with Britain

In another sign of Ukraine’s deepening defence ties with Britain, Zelensky told British broadcaster Sky News he wanted to “open a new page in our nations”, signing a “drone deal” and building a drone factory in Britain.

“We’re ready to share all our experience with the UK, and I hope that the UK will do the same, so we need to make this drone deal very strong,” Zelensky said in the interview broadcast on July 26.

He admitted “we don’t have enough missiles to defend”, referring to Russia’s ultra-fast ballistic missiles that have put Ukraine’s air defence system under strain in a recent spate of deadly attacks.

“(Moscow) can increase the production of ballistic missiles and that’s why we need air defence as quick as possible,” Zelensky said.

During the visit on July 27, Burnham and Zelensky will meet some of the approximately 200 Ukrainian military personnel and sailors who have been in Britain for the past three weeks participating in a maritime security and counter-mine exercise.

It was held to prepare for future missions in the Black Sea.

Downing Street noted Britain’s total support for Ukraine has reached £25 billion (S$43 billion) since Russia’s full-scale invasion more than four years ago, including £16 billion in direct military assistance.

Zelensky is due in Washington on July 28, when he will have talks with US President Donald Trump, a White House official said last week.

Ukrainian leader is also expected to attend the funeral of US senator Lindsey Graham, a supporter of Ukraine who died earlier in July.

Trump and Zelensky have had a fraught relationship that has veered from a shouting match in the Oval Office in February 2025 to warmer ties in recent months.

The US President told Zelensky on the sidelines of a NATO summit in June that he was giving Ukraine permission to build US-designed Patriot air defence systems capable of downing ballistic missiles.

Washington has also advanced bipartisan legislation targeting countries buying Russian energy – potentially clearing the way for stronger pressure on Moscow.

Trump’s support for Ukrainian defence comes as he faces domestic pressure to end the Middle East war, which has cost his country US$37.5 billion (S$48 billion) and raised concerns over straining US weapons stockpiles.

“I understand the United States is focusing on the Middle East,” Zelensky told Sky News.

“I try to manage it now with some Europeans and with Americans and with some other countries.

“This, for me, it’s a big challenge, a big challenge for Ukraine.” AFP