Andy Burnham in Ukraine: UK PM vows continued defence aid to Kyiv despite Russian threats

The United Kingdom will continue providing defence assistance to Ukraine despite threats from Russia, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday during his visit to Kyiv, where European allies gathered to discuss further support for the war-torn country. Air defence is expected to be the central focus of the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. The group is being jointly chaired by the leaders of France and Germany, who are taking part remotely, and Britain's Burnham.

Burnham arrived in Kyiv for his first foreign trip since becoming prime minister. He was joined by several other European leaders and EU Council President Antonio Costa. Speaking ahead of the meeting and on Ukraine's Independence Day, Burnham said: “Despite Russia's outrageous threats to my country, we will continue our support for Ukraine's defence.” Kyiv has recently faced a wave of Russian ballistic missile attacks that have damaged residential buildings and killed dozens of people. The intensifying strikes have pushed civilian deaths to their highest level since the early months of Russia's 2022 invasion.

In a separate Russian drone strike on Chernigiv, north of Kyiv, 15 people were wounded, according to Ukraine's emergency services. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking during an address marking the country's independence, acknowledged the severity of the situation while highlighting continued international backing. "Right now, things are really very difficult for all of us. But there is a force holding us firmly by the hand," Zelensky said, adding: "It is the strength of our mutual circle". He urged Ukraine's partners to provide the country with the military assistance required to bring the conflict to an end.

"everything it needs to stop this war".

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EU releases additional military aid

The European Union announced Monday that it had released another 6.1 billion euros, equivalent to about $7.1 billion, in military assistance for Ukraine, with air defence among the key priorities. The latest funding forms part of a proposed 90-billion-euro loan package for Ukraine, which includes 60 billion euros earmarked for military assistance.

Ahead of the Kyiv meeting, Ukraine has also intensified attacks on Russian logistics and infrastructure. Several warehouses belonging to Russian e-commerce company Ozon were reportedly targeted. Ozon said fires broke out early Monday at warehouses in Krasnodar and Makhachkala in southern Russia. Facilities in Adygeysk and Nevinnomyssk were evacuated amid reported drone threats.

Russian officials separately said debris from a Ukrainian drone attack killed two children and injured nine other people. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Kyiv had "opened Pandora's box" by attacking Russia's economy and warned that Moscow would escalate its response, including against Ukrainian agricultural infrastructure.

UK to support SCALP missile production

During his Kyiv visit, Burnham is expected to announce that the British government has authorised defence company MBDA to release classified information required to support Ukrainian and French efforts to establish local production of the long-range SCALP missile. The Kremlin has accused Britain of obstructing peace efforts by sharing the information with Kyiv. Moscow has also threatened to target and "destroy" facilities in Ukraine involved in producing the missile.

French President Emmanuel Macron pledged Saturday that France would provide Ukraine with additional interceptor missiles.

The need for stronger air defence has become increasingly urgent as Russia continues to launch large numbers of ballistic missiles. Their high speed and steep trajectories make them particularly difficult for Ukrainian forces to intercept. Ukraine depends heavily on sophisticated air defence systems, particularly US-made Patriot interceptors, to protect its cities and critical infrastructure. However, Kyiv has reported a growing shortage of Patriot missiles following the outbreak of war between the United States and Israel and Iran in February, which has affected the availability of interceptor supplies.

Ukraine reports Patriot missile shortfall

Ahead of the meeting, Zelensky disclosed unusually detailed figures about Ukraine's Patriot interceptor supplies.

He said deliveries had fallen sharply since 2023. "Over the entire of 2023, Ukraine received 675 missiles, and over all of 2025 -- 364, even though Russian missile strikes have increased," Zelensky said. "For 2026, as currently projected, it is 264," he added, saying Ukraine was seeking a package of at least 300 interceptors ahead of the coming winter.

The United States is also dealing with shortages of Patriot missiles amid its conflict with Iran and has been reluctant to provide Ukraine with large additional quantities. Zelensky said Russia has the capacity to manufacture approximately 100 ballistic missiles each month. Ukraine, meanwhile, has stepped up its long-range campaign against Russian energy and logistics infrastructure, including oil refineries and retail warehouses.

The Coalition of the Willing began as a Franco-British initiative aimed at strengthening support for Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia. The group was initially conceived as a coalition of nations prepared to deploy peacekeeping forces to Ukraine if a ceasefire were achieved. As uncertainty surrounding US commitments under President Donald Trump has continued, however, the coalition has increasingly become a forum for coordinating military and political support for Kyiv.