Burnham Zelenskyy meeting More UK missiles and drones Top the agenda

Burnham pledges unwavering backing as Zelenskyy seeks more UK missiles and drones

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has secured fresh assurances of British military support after holding his first face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who vowed to honour every commitment the UK has made to Kyiv.

The leaders met aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth at Portsmouth Naval Base, marking Zelenskyy's first meeting with Britain's new prime minister since Burnham took office last week.

Missile defence tops agenda

One of the main focuses of the discussions was Ukraine's urgent need for additional ballistic missile interceptors as Russia intensifies attacks on power stations, fuel depots and other critical infrastructure.

Burnham said the two leaders had held detailed talks on strengthening Ukraine's air defences ahead of another difficult winter.

"We've taken away some things that we will now follow up with our partners," he said, without revealing further details.

Expanding drone cooperation

The leaders also discussed expanding joint defence production between Britain and Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said the two countries are already working together on drone technology and revealed he hopes to establish a major drone manufacturing facility in Britain.

Burnham announced that the UK will also provide Ukraine with the intellectual property behind its new Stone Cloak electronic warfare system, designed to jam Russian air defences and make Ukrainian drones harder to detect.

'We are with Ukraine 100%'

Burnham used the meeting to send a clear message of continued British support for Ukraine's war effort.

"You are the first leader I have welcomed since taking office, and that is no accident," he told Zelenskyy.

"We are with Ukraine 100 per cent. I am personally with you 100 per cent, and I will honour every commitment this country has made to Ukraine in full."

Zelenskyy described relations between the two countries as "stronger than ever."

The visit comes ahead of the Ukrainian president's expected talks with President Donald Trump in Washington.

War continues on both sides of the border

The diplomatic meeting came as fighting intensified across both Ukraine and Russia.

Ukraine said Russia launched 147 long-range drones overnight, with air defences intercepting or electronically jamming 123 of them.

Russian strikes killed civilians in the Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions, while attacks also damaged homes, a kindergarten and key infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Officials in Kharkiv claimed Russian forces had destroyed every petrol station along one of the region's main supply routes.

Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia

Russia, meanwhile, said its air defences shot down 276 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Authorities in Rostov-on-Don said five people, including a child, were killed after a Ukrainian drone struck an apartment building.

Ukraine's military said it had successfully targeted an export terminal in Rostov-on-Don, along with military logistics sites, fuel depots and drone control facilities in Russian-occupied territory.

Romania also reported another brief incursion by a drone into its airspace, the fourth such incident in four days, prompting NATO member Romania to scramble F-16 fighter jets.

Iran threatens retaliation

The conflict also took on a wider international dimension after Iran accused Ukraine of attacking an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, reportedly killing one sailor.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the strike and warned it "cannot go unanswered," blaming Ukraine and accusing Israel of encouraging the attack.

Zelenskyy confirmed Ukrainian forces had struck what he described as vessels transporting military cargo linked to Iran, as well as a warship.

Ukraine dismissed Tehran's accusations, arguing that Iran had become a direct participant in the war by supplying weapons to Russia and therefore had no grounds to portray itself as a victim.

With Russia continuing its bombardment of Ukrainian cities and Kyiv expanding long-range strikes deep into Russian territory, the conflict shows little sign of easing despite renewed diplomatic efforts by Western allies to strengthen Ukraine's defences.

SOURCE