UK leader makes major air defense pledge to Ukraine in Kyiv
Photo: Andy Burnham (Getty Images)
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that the United Kingdom will make a significant contribution to strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses ahead of the coming winter, according to The Guardian.
On August 24, Burnham arrived in Kyiv for Ukraine’s Independence Day. Notably, this is his first foreign trip since becoming British prime minister. During a ceremony in central Kyiv, he made several major statements.
Burnham compared Ukraine’s resistance to Russia with Britain’s struggle against Nazi Germany.
“My nation, our nation kept the flame of European freedom alive in the 20th century Great Britain. You hold that flame in the 21st,” Burnham said.
Against this backdrop, he publicly pledged to help Kyiv strengthen its air defenses ahead of winter.
“Despite Russia’s outrageous threats to my country, we will continue our support for Ukraine,” Burnham assured.
Burnham is also expected to take part in Ukraine’s Independence Day celebrations in Kyiv and, for the first time, co-chair a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing — an international group of countries coordinating further support for Kyiv. European leaders gathered in Kyiv on Monday to reaffirm their backing for Ukraine and discuss additional defense assistance.
Earlier, the British government announced that it had allowed defense company MBDA to share classified information with Ukraine about British components used in the long-range SCALP missile. This concerns the French version of Britain’s Storm Shadow missile.
RBC-Ukraine also reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently met with Burnham and reached an agreement on new technologies to protect drones.
The outlet previously explained what to know about Britain’s new prime minister and what Ukraine can expect from him.
