British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Monday reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s “unwavering” support for Ukraine as he welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, his first international visitor since taking office.
Burnham received Zelensky at Downing Street just one week after becoming prime minister, highlighting his government’s commitment to maintaining strong backing for Ukraine.
As part of the visit, the two leaders were due to tour a naval base where Burnham would announce the transfer of intellectual property for Britain’s new Stone Cloak electronic warfare system to Ukraine. The move will allow the technology to be manufactured on a larger scale in Ukraine.
The compact, tablet-sized system is designed to stop Russian forces from detecting drones equipped with the technology. The UK Ministry of Defence has already supplied thousands of the electronic jammers to Ukrainian forces to enhance their drone capabilities.
“Britain stands with Ukraine, shoulder to shoulder, and our support remains unwavering,” Burnham said.
“Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve, and we will not back down until we achieve a long-lasting and just peace for Ukraine.
“Stone Cloak represents the best of British innovation and has been proven on the front line. It will play a vital role in protecting the security of both our countries,” he said.
Following its use in Ukraine, the Stone Cloak technology is expected to become part of the UK’s next generation of long-range strike weapons, including Project Brake Stop, the government’s programme to develop low-cost cruise missiles.
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Burnham and Zelensky were also scheduled to meet more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel who recently completed three weeks of training in the UK under Exercise Sea Breeze, a programme focused on improving combat readiness and counter-mine operations in the Black Sea.
Burnham first spoke with Zelensky shortly after taking office last Monday and extended an invitation for the Ukrainian president to visit as soon as possible.
Before assuming office, Burnham—who has limited foreign policy experience from previous government roles—had pledged to continue the strong support for Ukraine established by his predecessor, Keir Starmer. Starmer visited Kyiv on his final full day as Labour leader.
