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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to become new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s first international visitor when they meet in the UK on Monday.
Burnham, who took office last week, will use the meeting to pledge his “unwavering support” to Ukraine, “both through the war and beyond,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
The pair are expected to visit a naval base before linking up with more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel and sailors who have been taking part in a maritime security and counter-mine training exercise in the UK over the last three weeks. The exercise, named Sea Breeze, is designed to help prepare the troops for potential future operations in the Black Sea.
During his meeting with Zelenskyy, Burnham will also announce that the UK is sharing the intellectual property of its “Stone Cloak” electronic jammers, which can be used to interfere with Russian air defence systems.
The move will mean Kyiv is able to mass produce the devices for use on the front lines in the war against Russia, which began after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The UK says it has already gifted thousands of the tablet computer-sized devices to Ukraine.
“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 in a press release.
“Britain stands with Ukraine, shoulder to shoulder, and our support remains unwavering,” he added.
The prime minister also issued a warning to Russia, saying Moscow “should be in no doubt of our resolve” and that the UK would “not backdown until we achieve long lasting and just peace for Ukraine.”
On Monday, Zelenskyy said he hoped for a “productive” meeting, adding that they would “speak about all sorts of things.”
“For example, the Drone Deal. I want to build a big factory in Britain based on new technologies, share them with our partners,” he said. “We are ready to share all our experience with the UK. I hope that the UK will do the same”.
Burnham, the UK’s seventh prime minister in a decade, has made it clear that he intends to spend less time on international affairs than his predecessor, Keir Starmer, and will instead focus on trying to implement widespread changes to domestic policy.
His pick for foreign secretary, former Labour leader Ed Miliband, is therefore likely to be a key figure in relations with Ukraine moving forward.
Since February 2022, the UK has committed £25 billion in support for Ukraine. That figure consists of £16 billion in military assistance and £5.6 billion in non-military support.
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