On August 24, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is arriving in Kyiv on his first overseas visit since taking office. On Ukraine’s Independence Day, he is expected to announce British support aimed at helping Kyiv expand domestic production of long-range SCALP missiles.
This was reported by the UK Prime Minister’s Office.
Burnham is visiting Ukraine several weeks after hosting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the United Kingdom in July as his first international guest.
During the visit, the British prime minister is set to announce that the UK has agreed to allow European missile manufacturer MBDA to release classified information on British-made components used in the SCALP long-range cruise missile. The move is intended to help France and Ukraine establish local production and assembly lines for the missile in Ukraine.
SCALP is the French-produced version of Britain’s Storm Shadow. Both missiles use shared French and British technology.
The decision is expected to allow France and Ukraine to move forward with domestic production of SCALP missiles in Ukraine. It also complements the UK’s Project Brakestop, which is focused on rapidly developing low-cost advanced long-range strike weapons for Ukraine.
In Kyiv, Burnham is expected to meet with Zelenskyy, take part in Independence Day events and co-chair his first meeting of the Coalition of the Willing.
“On Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes,” Burnham said.
According to the British government, the UK has committed £25 billion in support to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, including £16 billion in military assistance and £5.6 billion in non-military support.
