UK PM to announce new support for Ukraine's long-range missile production

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will announce during a visit to Kyiv for Ukraine's Independence Day on 24 August that the UK will strengthen Ukraine's ability to produce its own long-range Scalp missiles.

Source: The Guardian, citing the UK government's website

Details: This will be Burnham's first visit to Ukraine since becoming prime minister.

The Guardian noted that Burnham will arrive in the Ukrainian capital on the morning of 24 August at a decisive moment in the war, as Kyiv prepares for another wave of Russian missile strikes and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces his most serious domestic challenge.

He will use the trip to announce that the UK government will allow European defence company MBDA to declassify information about British components used in the Anglo-French Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles, helping Ukraine develop its own version.

"The British announcement is a small step in a much larger and longer-term project that could lead to Ukraine making its own long-range versions of the Storm Shadow cruise missile in several years' time. But the move is likely to trigger further criticism from Moscow at a time when tensions between the UK and Russia are already high," the Guardian noted.

Burnham will also announce that the UK will help France establish long-range missile assembly lines in Ukraine, a move French President Emmanuel Macron promised last month.

The UK announcement is a small step within a much larger, long-term project that could eventually enable Ukraine to produce its own long-range versions of the Storm Shadow cruise missile.

The Guardian suggested that the move is likely to trigger another wave of criticism from Moscow at a time when tensions between the UK and Russia are already high.

Background:

• Last week, Russia accused the UK of deliberately escalating the conflict by allowing Ukraine to carry out attacks using British-made drones, warning that the deeper UK's involvement becomes, "the higher the price it will pay".
• Over the weekend, it emerged that Russia had recalled its ambassador to London without appointing a replacement, prompting speculation that Moscow was reducing its diplomatic presence in the UK.
• Burnham stressed that Russian threats would not weaken UK's support for Ukraine, saying last week: "We are not fair-weather friends. We will be there in Ukraine's hour ‌of ⁠need, and that won't change."
• On 24 August, Burnham will use a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, comprising 34 countries that have pledged to help ensure Ukraine's security in the event of a peace deal with Russia, to underline this commitment.
• The meeting will be chaired by Burnham and Macron, who will join by video link. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will also take part in the online conference, during which leaders will discuss ways to help Ukraine withstand the recent wave of long-range attacks.
• During his stay in Kyiv, Burnham will attend events marking Ukraine's Independence Day, details of which are being kept secret amid fears of a major Russian attack. The UK PM is also expected to receive an award in recognition of his country's support for Ukraine.

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