Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met newly appointed UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham at a British naval base on Monday, where the two discussed joint drone production and Kyiv's urgent need for ballistic missile interceptors to defend against escalating Russian attacks.
The meeting took place aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, docked in Portsmouth on England's southern coast.
"You are the first leader I have welcomed in person since taking office, and that is no accident,” Burnham told Zelenskyy.
“It is intended to send a very clear message: We are with Ukraine 100%, I am personally with you 100%, and I will honour every commitment this country has made to Ukraine in full.”
The Ukrainian leader said the two countries' relationship was “stronger than ever.”
Burnham noted they had “talked at length” about Kyiv's need for more interceptors to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles, “particularly in terms of Ukraine protecting critical national infrastructure during the winters.”
“We’ve taken away some things that we will now follow up with our partners,” Burnham said after the meeting.
Russia has intensified attacks on gas infrastructure, power facilities and other critical sites this year in a broad campaign aimed at straining Ukraine's logistics and energy networks.
Zelenskyy said in a post on X that the talks also focused on "joint defence production." The UK and Ukraine already have an agreement to cooperate on drone development, and speaking to UK media outlets ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy outlined that he hopes to establish a "big, big factory" in the UK.
The two leaders also met more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel taking part in a three-week training exercise in the UK designed to enhance combat capabilities and strengthen mine countermeasure operations in the Black Sea.
The meeting came just one day ahead of an anticipated Washington trip for Zelensky, where he is due to meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump to discuss the latest on the ground in Russia's war, well into its fifth year.
