Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with the newly appointed British Prime Minister Andy Burnham this Monday, marking the first international visit for the leader since he took office last week. The prime minister's office confirmed that the meeting will serve as a platform for Burnham to reiterate his "unwavering support" to Ukraine, pledging that the UK will stand by the nation throughout the war and beyond.
The two leaders are expected to tour a naval base, where they will meet with more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel and sailors. These troops have spent the last three weeks participating in the "Sea Breeze" training exercise, a maritime security and counter-mine program intended to prepare Ukrainian forces for potential future operations in the Black Sea.
During the visit, Burnham will announce that the United Kingdom is providing the intellectual property for its "Stone Cloak" electronic jammers to Kyiv. These tablet-sized devices, which are designed to interfere with Russian air defence systems, have already been supplied to Ukraine in the thousands. By sharing the technology, the UK will enable Ukraine to mass-produce the jammers for use on the front lines against Russian forces, who launched their full-scale invasion in February 2022.
"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 stated. He added that Britain remains "shoulder to shoulder" with Ukraine, warning Moscow that the UK will not back down until a "long lasting and just peace" is achieved. Zelenskyy expressed his hope for a productive meeting, noting that they plan to discuss a wide range of issues.
Since the onset of the conflict in February 2022, the UK has committed £25 billion in total support to Ukraine, comprising £16 billion in military assistance and £5.6 billion in non-military aid. While Burnham, the seventh British prime minister in a decade, intends to prioritize domestic policy changes over extensive international travel, his foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, is expected to maintain a central role in managing the ongoing relationship with Ukraine.
