Andy Burnham arrived in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv this morning, his first trip abroad since entering Downing Street last month. The Prime Minister’s visit has been timed to to coincide with Ukraine’s independence day, marking 35 years since it broke with the Soviet Union. Burnham will later today use the occasion to announce plans to share the blueprints for building the British components of long-range Storm Shadow missiles with Ukraine.
Britain has been supplying Storm Shadow missiles – co-produced with France – to Ukraine since 2023, with Kyiv reportedly firing the long-range weapons in Russia for the first time in November 2024. Storm Shadow missiles have a range of nearly 350 miles, theoretically putting Moscow within striking distance of Ukraine.
Burnham’s announcement today will grant permission to MBDA, the defence company that manufactures Storm Shadows, to declassify information on how the British components of the weapon are made. The Prime Minister will also confirm that the UK will help France set up Ukrainian assembly lines for long-range missiles, as promised by the French president Emmanuel Macron last month.
Burnham is not one to shy away from a little symbolism
Today is a day of firsts for Burnham: as well as this being his first foreign trip, it will also be his first time co-chairing the Coalition of the Willing Ukraine support group alongside Macron. A number of other leaders are expected to join the call remotely, including German chancellor Friedrich Merz. The aim of the call will be to discuss further support for Ukraine, including specifically how to fend off Russian attacks, made all the more damaging by Ukraine’s critical lack of Patriot air defence missiles.
