Guess Who? First Foreign Leader Visits Burnham, UK’s New Prime Minister

Guess who?… None other than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has touched down in the UK for his meeting with new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

“Volodymyr, you are the first head of state or government I have congratulated since taking office as Prime Minister. And that is no coincidence. It is intended to send a very clear message: We stand 100% with Ukraine,” said Burnham.

The PM only took office last week, and Zelensky marks Burnham’s very first international visitor. For Zelensky, Burnham is the fifth British prime minister since the Ukraine war started.

Naturally the first thing Burnham did on the foreign policy front was to pledge his “unwavering support” to Ukraine, ”both through the war and beyond.”

This is yet more affirmation of Burnham’s intent to carry on with and expand on Britain’s hawkish policies related to Russia and the Ukraine war which have persisted going back to Boris Johnson at the opening of the February 2022 conflict.

The UK was the earliest out the gate among Western powers to ship heavy weaponry to Kiev, and its support has only grown since.

Burnham while hosting Zelensky announced the UK is sharing the intellectual property of its “Stone Cloak” electronic jammers, which aim to interfere with Russian air defense systems, allowing drones and missiles to better penetrate Russian positions.

“Stone Cloak is the best of homegrown British innovation and proven on the frontline, and it will be vital to protecting our security in both our countries,” Burnham said. According to more from the visit:

Burnham said the visit of the Ukrainian president was designed to “send a very clear message” about the UK’s continued support.

“To put it simply, Volodymyr, I want you to know that we’ve got your back, you can count on me and you can count on us. You can count on the UK for as long as it takes,” he said at a naval base in Portsmouth on Monday.

Zelensky, meanwhile, said Ukraine’s relationship with the UK was “stronger than ever”.

Addressing Zelensky, Burnham said: “I am personally with you 100%, Mr President, and I will honour every commitment this country has made to Ukraine in full.”

Burnham added that he intended to visit Ukraine “soon” following the “very warm meeting” between the pair.

The prime minister also warned Moscow “should be in no doubt of our resolve” and that the UK would “not backdown until we achieve long lasting and just peace for Ukraine.”

Zelensky held his first meeting with Andy Burnham on HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth. pic.twitter.com/Ojk69Quhtg

— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 27, 2026

Zelensky was hosted for the meeting aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth docked at Portsmouth on England’s south coast. After the Monday events in the UK, Zelensky is headed to Washington to meet with President Trump.

Burnham said the leaders had “talked at length” about Ukraine’s need for more interceptors to shoot down inbound Russian missiles, “particularly in terms of Ukraine protecting critical national infrastructure during the winters.”