Prime Minister Andy Burnham of Britain arrived in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, on Monday, taking a brief break from his focus on economic issues at home to make his first foreign trip since taking office.
Mr. Burnham’s visit comes as Russia has sharpened verbal attacks against Britain’s longstanding assistance to Ukraine, warning of consequences if the aid and support continue.
Mr. Burnham appeared to shrug off those warnings on Monday as British officials announced that he would present President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine with technical plans for a long-range missile.
The missile, jointly built with France, is known as the Storm Shadow in Britain. Officials said that allowing the classified plans to be provided to Kyiv would allow Ukraine and France to build the French version, known as SCALP, on assembly lines inside Ukraine.
Mr. Burnham arrived in Kyiv by train on Monday morning after traveling overnight.
In a statement released by his office, Mr. Burnham said: “The friendship between our two countries will long outlast Russia’s illegal war. In both the fight and in the rebuilding to come, we will stand with Ukraine and deliver opportunities for people across both our countries.”
He added: “Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve. We will not back down until there is a just and lasting peace.”
Mr. Burnham is expected to meet with Mr. Zelensky and will be chairman of a meeting of the “coalition of the willing,” a group of leaders who have pledged support for Ukraine in the war against Russia.
Katarina Mathernova, the European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine, told reporters on Sunday night as she traveled for the coalition meeting that the mood in Ukraine had “darkened” this summer amid targeted Russian attacks on civilians.
She also noted that the war seemed to be moving into a new phase in which both sides try to inflict serious economic damage on the other. Russia is choking off Ukraine’s grain exports through the Black Sea, and Ukraine is targeting economic actors, like Wildberries, a company that is Russia’s equivalent to Amazon.
Jeanna Smialek contributed reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine.
The post British Leader Arrives in Ukraine as Russia Amps Up Warnings appeared first on New York Times.
