UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham arrived in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Monday, 24 August 2026, to mark the country’s independence day. He was accompanied by a number of European leaders, including António Costa, president of the European Council; Luc Frieden, the prime minister of Luxembourg; Maia Sandu, the president of Moldova; and Alar Karis, the president of Estonia.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha welcomed the leaders, stating on X that "For Ukraine, independence is not an abstract idea. We defended it against all odds. In times like these, nations learn how important it is to have allies by your side."
During his visit, Mr Burnham plans to announce that the UK government will allow the European defence company MBDA to declassify information regarding UK-made components of the Anglo-French Storm Shadow/Scalp long-range missiles. This move is intended to assist Ukraine in building its own version of the missiles, which is described as a significant boost to the country’s weapons development capacity.