UK PM plans to persuade Trump to help Ukraine with Patriot missiles – Bloomberg
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said that he and other European leaders plan to visit the United States next month to persuade President Donald Trump to give Ukraine access to some of the US stockpiles of Patriot interceptor missiles ahead of winter.
Source: Burnham in a comment to Bloomberg
Quote: "I'm looking forward to going to New York in September."
Details: Bloomberg noted that Burnham was referring to the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York. It will be his first visit in his capacity as prime minister.
Quote: "I've not fully confirmed the details yet but it's likely I will go, particularly after today's discussion [in Kyiv on 24 August].
…I'm quite clear what I need to do in the next few weeks."
Details: Burnham made the statement during his first international visit since taking office as prime minister, after he chaired a meeting of Ukraine's allies for the first time and held bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly appealed to European countries and the US to help Ukraine obtain Patriot interceptor missiles and replenish its stocks before winter, when Russia is expected to step up attacks on energy infrastructure again. These interceptors are the most powerful weapons available for shooting down Russian cruise and ballistic missiles.
Burnham said he had left Kyiv "really optimistic" that Ukraine's current difficulties in defending itself against Russian ballistic missile attacks, caused by insufficient stocks of interceptors, are "fixable".
He said European leaders were considering holding another meeting of the Coalition of the Willing on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session to secure supplies of US-made interceptors for Ukraine and stocks from other countries.
Quote: "That would seem to be the most likely pace of direction. Not confirmed yet, but that seemed like where most people's minds were going."
Details: Burnham stressed that although the UK does not operate the Patriot missiles Ukraine needs, other European countries should step up their efforts in this area.
Quote: "There are other players who could help in the mix who we have influence with.
It's probably going to be a solution that involves a lot of layers and a lot of negotiation."
Previously: Zelenskyy discussed the creation of a European anti-ballistic system with Keith Kellogg, US former special envoy for Ukraine, and reiterated that Patriot interceptors remain indispensable for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy has called on partners to provide Ukraine with missiles for Patriot air defence systems and introduce new sanctions against Russia.
Zelenskyy said earlier that Ukraine needs 5% of the US stockpile of Patriot interceptors to survive the winter and 10% to destroy "all the Russians' ballistic missiles".
Background:
- During his visit to Kyiv, Burnham said London had approved a decision to share Storm Shadow production technology with Ukraine.
- The Kremlin said the UK's decision to hand over secret technology for producing long-range Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles to Ukraine is "adding fuel to the flames".
- Burnham responded to the Kremlin spokesperson's comments on the Russia-Ukraine war.
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