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British prime minister Andy Burnham, during a visit to Kyiv, confirms that he has approved supplying Ukraine with the classified blueprints to produce Storm Shadow cruise missiles
Confirmed
To demonstrate that the change of leader in London won’t affect its backing for Kyiv, the U.K. government announced it would permit defense company MBDA to release classified information on British components of long-range SCALP missiles so France and Ukraine can proceed with a plan for Ukrainian assembly of the missile as soon as the end of this year.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight, former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Fedorov said the UK could face a "semi-military" response in retaliation for sharing military blueprints with Ukraine, but specified this would be "not by Russia, but from unknown sources".
UK missiles offer may help Ukraine - but they are not what Zelensky needs most Burnham said allies were doing "everything we can" to "dig into our own stocks and help others dig into their stocks" of air defences to protect Ukraine.
In a statement issued ahead of the visit, the prime minister said: "On Ukraine's 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes. The UK and Ukraine have also announced a new military technology partnership , external giving British experts access to Kyiv's Avengers AI Labs database.
In a joint statement after the meeting, Burnham and co-chairs French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the group would aim to strength Kyiv's air defences "as a matter or urgent priority".
"This is the moment to keep up the pressure on Russia, the moment to squeeze their ability to fund this illegal war," Burnham said, praising the "strength" of the Ukrainian people. He said the friendship Ukraine shared with the UK would "long outlast Russia's illegal war", adding: "Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve.
It came as the European Union said it had released €6.1bn (£5.2bn) in military aid for Ukraine to boost its air defences. "Something might happen with enterprises, with factories which are producing drones for Ukraine," Fedorov said.
In response, Burnham said: "Who started the fire?
What's confirmed
- To demonstrate that the change of leader in London won’t affect its backing for Kyiv, the U.K.
- Speaking to BBC Newsnight, former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Fedorov said the UK could face a "semi-military" response in retaliation for sharing military blueprints with Ukraine, but specified this would be
- UK missiles offer may help Ukraine - but they are not what Zelensky needs most Burnham said allies were doing "everything we can" to "dig into our own stocks and help others dig into their stocks" of air defences to prot
- In a statement issued ahead of the visit, the prime minister said: "On Ukraine's 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes.
- In a joint statement after the meeting, Burnham and co-chairs French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the group would aim to strength Kyiv's air defences "as a matter or urgent priority
- "This is the moment to keep up the pressure on Russia, the moment to squeeze their ability to fund this illegal war," Burnham said, praising the "strength" of the Ukrainian people.
What's still developing
- UK missiles offer may help Ukraine - but they are not what Zelensky needs most Burnham said allies were doing "everything we can" to "dig into our own stocks and help others dig into their stocks" of air defences to…
- "This is the moment to keep up the pressure on Russia, the moment to squeeze their ability to fund this illegal war," Burnham said, praising the "strength" of the Ukrainian people.
- In response, Burnham said: "Who started the fire?
- Speaking to BBC Newsnight, former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Fedorov said the UK could face a "semi-military" response in retaliation for sharing military blueprints with Ukraine, but specified this would…
- "Something might happen with enterprises, with factories which are producing drones for Ukraine," Fedorov said.
- In a joint statement after the meeting, Burnham and co-chairs French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the group would aim to strength Kyiv's air defences "as a matter or urgent…
- It came as the European Union said it had released €6.1bn (£5.2bn) in military aid for Ukraine to boost its air defences.
- The UK and Ukraine have also announced a new military technology partnership , external giving British experts access to Kyiv's Avengers AI Labs database.