UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to travel to Ukraine on Monday for his first overseas visit since taking office, using the trip to announce new British measures aimed at
strengthening Kyiv’s ability to produce long-range missiles domestically.
Burnham will co-chair a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, the international group of countries supporting Ukraine, and is expected to hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The visit is intended to underline Britain’s continued commitment to Ukraine’s defence as Kyiv seeks to expand its own military-industrial capacity.
A key announcement will centre on the SCALP long-range cruise missile, developed through British and French cooperation. Downing Street says Britain has agreed to permit European missile manufacturer MBDA to share classified technical information concerning British-made components incorporated into the weapon.
The move is expected to pave the way for France and Ukraine to develop local assembly capabilities for the missile, allowing Ukraine to increase production and reduce its dependence on weapons manufactured abroad.
“Ukraine’s security is our security,” Burnham said ahead of the visit, pledging that Britain would remain alongside Kyiv “for as long as it takes”.
The initiative comes as Ukraine places increasing emphasis on developing weapons capable of striking targets deep inside Russian territory. Alongside long-range cruise missiles, Ukrainian forces have expanded their use of domestically produced drones to attack military infrastructure, logistics hubs, oil facilities and other strategically important targets far from the front line.
Britain seeks to reinforce its role
Britain has remained among Ukraine’s most prominent European military and diplomatic supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. London has provided extensive military assistance, economic support and diplomatic backing, with its overall commitments to Ukraine now exceeding £25 billion.
The UK was also among the first Western countries to commit to supplying Ukraine with advanced Western weaponry, including battle tanks and long-range cruise missiles. The latest decision to facilitate missile production represents a further shift towards helping Ukraine develop a sustainable domestic defence industry rather than relying solely on foreign deliveries.
Burnham’s visit is also expected to serve as a reassurance to Kyiv and other members of the Coalition of the Willing that Britain intends to maintain a central role in European efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s security.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions between London and Moscow. Russia warned Britain last week that it could face unspecified “consequences” over its military assistance to Ukraine, after reports that British-made drones had been used in long-range attacks against targets inside Russia.
Moscow has repeatedly accused Western governments of becoming increasingly involved in the conflict as they provide Ukraine with more sophisticated weapons and support its ability to strike targets deep behind Russian lines.
For London, however, expanding Ukraine’s domestic weapons production is increasingly viewed as part of a broader strategy to ensure that Kyiv can sustain its defence capabilities over the long term.
A new phase in UK-Ukraine relations
The visit will take place only weeks after Zelenskiy travelled to Britain in late July, becoming Burnham’s first international guest shortly after the Labour leader entered Downing Street.
Burnham’s decision to make Ukraine the destination of his first foreign trip is likely to be closely watched as an indication of the new government’s foreign-policy priorities. By combining political backing with practical assistance for Ukraine’s defence industry, London is seeking to demonstrate that its support extends beyond immediate weapons deliveries.
The proposed cooperation on SCALP production could ultimately give Ukraine greater control over the supply of one of its most important long-range strike capabilities while deepening defence-industrial cooperation between Britain, France and Ukraine.
For Kyiv, the initiative offers the prospect of greater self-reliance. For Britain and its European partners, it represents another step towards building Ukraine’s long-term capacity to deter and respond to Russian aggression. Photo by Francisco Anzola, Wikimedia commons.
