Burnham joins European leaders in Kyiv for Ukraine's Independence Day
UK PM Andy Burnham visits Kyiv on Ukraine's 35th Independence Day, meeting Zelenskyy and European leaders.
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham arrived in Kyiv on Monday for his first overseas trip since taking office, marking Ukraine's 35th Independence Day. The visit places him alongside several European leaders in the capital, including European Council President Antonio Costa, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden, and Estonian President Alar Karis.
Burnham is scheduled to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and co-chair a session of the so-called coalition of the willing, a grouping of nations coordinating continued support for Ukraine. The discussions are expected to focus on sustained international backing for Kyiv as it marks over three decades of independence following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991.
A key item on the agenda is a proposed move by the U.K. government to permit defense contractor MBDA to release classified information about British components used in the SCALP long-range missile. The SCALP is the French variant of the U.K.'s Storm Shadow, with both systems relying on shared Franco-British technology. Allowing this disclosure could enable France and Ukraine to advance plans for local production of the weapon inside Ukraine.
Burnham is also expected to participate in Independence Day commemorations during his stay, underscoring the symbolic timing of the visit as European leaders reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine's defense and sovereignty.