The Prime Minister is chairing his first meeting of the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’.
Andy Burnham has urged Ukraine’s allies to send more interceptor missiles to Kyiv as Ukraine struggles under continued Russian bombardment.
Chairing his first meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing”, the Prime Minister said the group was doing “everything we can” to “dig into our own stocks and help others dig into their stocks”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly pleaded for more US-made Patriot interceptor missiles in recent months as Kyiv’s stocks have diminished.
Supplies of Patriots have been diverted to the Middle East since the outbreak of war with Iran, with Ukraine receiving significantly fewer missiles this year than in previous years.
Russia has sought to capitalise on the shortage by stepping up its ballistic missile strikes, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 in the past three days alone.
At a meeting of the coalition of the willing in Kyiv on Monday, Mr Burnham said the group was “working with our allies outside of this coalition” to resolve the issue, arguing Ukraine “needs more help to protect its people right now”.
He also called on the US to “ratchet up” economic pressure on Russia, arguing Moscow’s economy was struggling under a record budget deficit and declining oil revenues and urging American legislators to impose further sanctions.
While Mr Burnham called for more supplies of interceptor missiles to Ukraine, he has used his visit to Kyiv – his first foreign trip as Prime Minister – to announce more British support for the country’s long-range weapons.
The UK has agreed to declassify blueprints for British-made components for the Scalp missile, a French-produced version of the Storm Shadow that has already been used to hit targets in Russia.
That decision has drawn strong condemnation from Russia, with Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying it would add “fuel to the fire” of the conflict.
But Mr Burnham hit back in comments to reporters in Kyiv, saying: “Who started the fire? That’s the question, isn’t it.”
Earlier, he had used a speech outside Kyiv’s St Sophia cathedral to promise that the UK would not be deterred from supporting Ukraine.
He told an event marking the 35th anniversary of the country’s independence from the Soviet Union: “Despite Russia’s outrageous threats to my country, we will continue our support for Ukraine.”
He also praised the “sheer strength” of the Ukrainian people and described their country as “Europe’s protector, not a drain on our security but the front line in keeping Europe safe”.
Mr Burnham went on to compare Ukraine’s resistance to Russia to the UK’s fight with Nazi Germany, saying: “My nation kept the flame of European freedom alive in the 20th century, you hold that flame in the 21st.”
He travelled to Kyiv earlier on Monday, making his first foreign trip since becoming Prime Minister in July in an effort to underline the UK’s support for Ukraine.
During Monday’s event in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented Mr Burnham with an award recognising the UK’s support.
In his own independence day speech, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine would “not submit” to Russia, saying: “Ukrainians will not be cobblestones under the feet of tsars and rulers.”
Mr Burnham is expected to hold a meeting later on Monday with Mr Zelensky, who was the first foreign leader to visit 10 Downing Street under his premiership.
But his visit comes as Mr Zelensky faces domestic political strife caused by a rift with his former defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, who was sacked last month after reportedly falling out with the head of Ukraine’s armed forces.
Mr Fedorov, whose sacking triggered weeks of mass protests, has called for Mr Zelensky to hold elections, arguing democracy “should not be the hostage of Putin”.
He has also called for Mr Zelensky to face questions over what he knew about alleged corruption in his inner circle.
Last week, Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities said they had uncovered a money-laundering plot, leading Mr Zelensky to sack one of his senior officials over their alleged involvement.
The president has denied any involvement, telling reporters over the weekend: “The heads of anti-corruption agencies have zero questions for me.
“They understand perfectly well that I am not involved in anything like that.”
