New UK PM Burnham assures Zelenskyy of continuing Ukraine support

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing AFP, reported that new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham used his first bilateral meeting with a foreign leader to reassure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Britain will maintain support for Ukraine. Zelenskyy stopped in England on Monday, July 27, 2026, ahead of a planned visit to Washington, DC, where he is expected to discuss efforts to end Russia’s war with US President Donald Trump.

According to the report, Burnham said the meeting was meant to signal that the UK remains fully behind Ukraine and that his government would uphold existing commitments. He also said he plans to visit Ukraine soon. Burnham is the fifth British prime minister to engage with Zelenskyy since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, underscoring how long the conflict has shaped British foreign policy.

The two leaders visited a naval base in Portsmouth, where they met personnel involved in training Ukrainian forces, including work linked to Black Sea mine-countermeasure capabilities. Burnham’s office said the UK will provide Ukraine with intellectual property for the “Stone Cloak” electronic warfare system, described in the report as technology designed to jam Russian air defences and help drones avoid detection. Downing Street said UK support for Ukraine since 2022 totals 25 billion pounds, including 16 billion pounds in military aid.

The visit comes as Ukraine seeks more air defence capacity amid intensified Russian missile and drone attacks. Al Jazeera reported that ceasefire diplomacy has slowed, while Moscow said it was open to considering proposals but had not seen specific new peace plans before Zelenskyy’s US trip.