UK Prime Minister Burnham to Present Long-Range Missile Blueprints to Zelensky During Kyiv Visit

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is marking his first foreign visit with a trip to Kyiv, where he will hand over critical blueprints enabling Ukraine to build its own long-range missiles.

During the visit, the prime minister will chair his first meeting of the “coalition of the willing,” an alliance established by the UK and France under his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer.

In addition, Burnham is scheduled to accept an award on behalf of the British people recognizing the UK’s sustained support for Ukraine, and will participate in the country’s Independence Day celebrations.

In a move crucial to the war effort, the government will announce it has authorized defense company MBDA to declassify information regarding UK components for the long-range Scalp missile, the French counterpart to the UK’s Storm Shadow.

Burnham’s visit will serve to reaffirm the UK’s unwavering backing for Kyiv, coming amid a recent escalation in Russian strikes across Ukraine, including a deadly attack on a shopping center last Friday that killed at least sixteen people.

Ahead of his Monday visit, Burnham stated: “On the occasion of Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people must be in no doubt that the UK stands behind you today and for as long as it takes.”

“I am immensely proud of the contribution our country has made to Ukraine, and I want the Ukrainian people to hear directly from me that our support will not waver. After all, Ukraine’s security is our own security.”

He emphasized that the deep friendship shared between Ukraine and the UK will “long outlast Russia’s illegal war,” adding that Russia must have no doubt about their resolve: “We will not back down until a just and lasting peace is achieved.”

The announcement comes shortly after Moscow warned of “consequences” following Ukraine’s increased use of British drones in its recent intensified strikes on Russian infrastructure.

In recent weeks, Kyiv has significantly stepped up long-range attacks on Moscow and other Russian regions, targeting key infrastructure such as oil refineries and the warehouses of Wildberries, the country’s largest online retailer.

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