President Volodymyr Zelensky was among the first foreign leaders to speak with the United Kingdom’s newly appointed Prime Minister Andy Burnham, with both agreeing during the call to hold an in-person meeting soon to discuss cooperation within the Anti-Ballistic Coalition.Zelensky detailed the exchange in a statement on Monday, thanking Burnham for London’s continued backing of Ukraine amid ongoing Russian strikes. JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“Ukraine and Britain have managed to build the strongest partnership in the history of relations between our states, and we will certainly continue working to ensure that it only grows further,” Zelensky said.UK’s global role praisedIn a separate congratulatory message ahead of the call, Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready to work in “all possible formats” with the UK, calling it a global leader and expressing gratitude for its continuous support throughout the war. “We highly appreciate the UK’s political, defense, and values-based support,” Zelensky said, adding that “the foundation of our bilateral relationship is stronger than ever, and we will continue to make each other stronger.”Although Burnham has publicly backed Kyiv since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, questions had lingered over whether – and if so, how – the UK’s support would continue now that he has formally become prime minister.According to TVP World, as mayor of Great Manchester in the northwest, Burnham supported Ukrainian refugees and developed cooperation with Ukrainian cities in humanitarian projects. In 2023, he helped establish the Unbroken Cities Network, which brought Manchester, Liverpool and Lviv together to support communities affected by the war. However, a former co-chair of the UK–Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group, Volodymyr Kurennoy, said that Burnham was “pro-Ukrainian, but not very experienced in foreign policy,” adding that he could possibly prioritize domestic issues.