Speaking at a press event during a visit to Kyiv on Ukraine’s Independence Day, Burnham noted the UK was the first country to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons, in 2023. According to Burnham, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked the British government to share Storm Shadow technology so Ukraine could manufacture the missiles at a lower cost.
During the visit, Burnham participated in his first Coalition of the Willing meeting as PM.
He also emphasized Ukraine’s need for air defense, particularly ahead of winter. He said Russia was “running out of options” and that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin “now hopes to achieve victory through a campaign of terror, using ballistic missiles against Ukrainian civilians.”
The PM said Russian missile launches must be stopped through
sanctions and long-term support for Ukraine. He also urged British industry to
support the pan-European Frejya missile defense project, which would offer a
less expensive alternative to U.S.-made Patriot systems.