UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham held his first bilateral meeting with a foreign leader on Monday, hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and pledging Britain's 'unwavering support' in the war against Russia.

Burnham told Zelenskyy it was 'no accident' that the Ukrainian leader was his first international guest, stating: 'We are with Ukraine 100 percent. I will honour every commitment this country has made to Ukraine in full.'

The two leaders visited a naval base in Portsmouth to meet personnel training Ukrainian forces. The UK government said they are strengthening Ukraine's capabilities to counter mines in the Black Sea.

Burnham's office announced the UK will transfer the intellectual property of its new 'Stone Cloak' electronic warfare system, capable of jamming Russian air defenses and preventing drone detection.

Zelenskyy told Sky News he wants to sign a 'drone deal' to boost production and technology sharing, admitting: 'We don't have enough missiles to defend' against Russia's ultra-fast ballistic missiles.

The UK's total support for Ukraine has reached £25 billion ($33 billion) since 2022, including £16 billion ($21 billion) in direct military assistance.

US-Ukraine relations remain fraught, with a heated Oval Office exchange in February 2025 giving way to warmer ties. Trump reportedly authorized Ukraine to build Patriot air defense systems.

Both sides have intensified drone and missile strikes. While Ukraine has hit Russian infrastructure, it faces shortages of defensive munitions, leaving civilian areas vulnerable.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow is open to considering new ideas for the Ukraine peace process, following reports of US-Ukrainian proposals for an air ceasefire.

Source: www.aljazeera.com