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UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to visit Kyiv and support domestic missile production

On his first foreign trip, the UK prime minister will permit the declassification of missile components to assist Ukraine in manufacturing long-range weapons.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 00:17 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is traveling to Kyiv on Monday for his first foreign trip, marking Ukraine's 35th independence day and reaffirming military support.
  • The UK government will allow arms manufacturer MBDA to declassify information on Storm Shadow/Scalp components, assisting Ukraine and France in establishing local missile assembly lines.
  • The trip comes amid escalating Russian strikes, including a fatal attack in Kryvyi Rih, and rising diplomatic friction following the departure of Russia's ambassador to London.

Key facts

  • Andy Burnham will make his first foreign trip as UK prime minister to Kyiv on Monday to participate in Ukraine's independence day events and reaffirm British backing.[BBC News · The Guardian]
  • Burnham will announce that the UK government is permitting European defense contractor MBDA to declassify technical details regarding UK-made parts used in Storm Shadow/Scalp cruise missiles.[BBC News · The Guardian]
  • The declassified data is intended to help Ukraine construct its own missile variants and assist France in establishing local Ukrainian assembly lines.[BBC News · The Guardian]
  • Burnham will co-chair a meeting of the 34-nation coalition of the willing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also joining.[BBC News · The Guardian]
  • Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin recently departed his London posting, and Moscow has not yet appointed a successor.[BBC News · The Guardian]
  • The visit follows a Friday strike on a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih that killed at least 16 people.[BBC News · The Guardian]

What remains uncertain

  • The exact timeline for when Ukraine will achieve operational domestic production of the long-range cruise missiles remains unconfirmed, with estimates indicating it could take several years.[The Guardian]
  • The Russian Embassy stated that the departure of its ambassador does not indicate an intent to downgrade bilateral relations, though Moscow has not yet nominated a replacement.[BBC News · The Guardian]

Sources