PM Reaffirms Support for Ukraine Ahead of Zelensky Visit

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1240 EAT on Monday 27 July 2026

The Ukrainian president will become the first international leader to visit the prime minister since he took office a week ago, with Downing Street saying the visit “illustrates the strength of the relationship between the two nations”.

During the visit, the two leaders will tour a naval base, where Prime Minister Burnham is expected to announce the sharing of intellectual property behind the UK’s new “Stone Cloak” electronic warfare system, allowing Ukraine to manufacture the technology on a larger scale.

Speaking ahead of the visit in an interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Burnham said he was looking forward to meeting Zelensky and described his support for Ukraine as “unwavering”.

The Stone Cloak jammers, which are about the size of a tablet computer, are designed to prevent drones fitted with the devices from being detected.

The UK Ministry of Defence has already supplied thousands of the devices to Ukrainian forces as part of efforts to strengthen their drone capabilities.

Downing Street said that after being deployed in Ukraine, the technology will be integrated into the UK’s next generation of long-range weapons.

The government said this would include Project Brakestop, an initiative aimed at developing low-cost cruise missiles — self-propelled guided weapons capable of flying like conventional aircraft for much of their journey.

In a statement issued on Sunday evening, Burnham said:
“Stone Cloak is the best of homegrown British innovation, proven on the frontline, and it will be vital in protecting the security of both our countries.”

During Monday’s visit, the two leaders are also expected to meet more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel who have spent the past three weeks participating in a maritime exercise in the UK.

Exercise Sea Breeze is designed to strengthen military capabilities and improve counter-mine operations in the Black Sea.

Britain’s support for Ukraine has remained consistent since Russia launched its full-scale invasion four years ago, with the UK committing £25 billion in funding to support the country’s war efforts.

In one of his first phone calls after becoming prime minister last Monday, Burnham spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and invited him to visit the UK “at the earliest opportunity”.

Zelensky later wrote on X that he appreciated the assurance that support for Ukraine and its people would “remain steadfast”.

Burnham’s predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, visited Kyiv on his final full day as Labour leader. During that trip, he announced an additional £255 million (€300 million) in funding for Ukraine’s defence efforts and was awarded Ukraine’s Order of Freedom.
Asked whether he was concerned about possible changes in leadership in Britain and France, Zelensky said Ukraine was naturally concerned because “we are in the war each day”.

However, he stressed the importance of maintaining strong relations between nations rather than relying solely on individual leaders.

“I’m sure that these relations will not change, or we have to do our best not to lose such very good relations,” Zelensky said.
He added: “I hope we will never lose strong relations with the UK during or after the war.”

Starmer responded: “You won’t.”
In his first major interview since becoming prime minister, Burnham told the BBC that his support for Ukraine was unwavering.
“My support for Ukraine is unwavering — it is 100%. And I will do what, in Ukraine, people think is the right thing that they need,” he said.

Burnham also praised Starmer’s “huge personal support” for Zelensky, saying the Ukrainian leader would receive the same commitment from his government.

-Observer

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