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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is planning a visit to New York in September, where he is expected to press US President Donald Trump for further support for Ukraine.
World leaders are scheduled to meet in the city next month for the United Nations General Assembly, with military aid for Kyiv set to be high on the agenda.
In an interview with Bloomberg earlier this week, Burnham said he was “looking forward to going to New York in September.”
“I’ve not fully confirmed the details yet, but it’s likely I will go, particularly after today’s discussion,” he told the outlet, referencing talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “Leaving today, I’m quite clear what I need to do in the next few weeks”.
If confirmed, it would mark Burnham’s first official visit to the US since he took over as prime minister in July.
The prime minister’s comments come amid continued calls from Zelenskyy for more interceptor missiles, particularly US-made Patriots, to defend against increasing Russian ballistic missile attacks.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Burnham said he believed the issue of Ukraine’s dwindling interceptor stockpiles was “fixable” but that any solution would likely require “a lot of layers and a lot of negotiation.”
Burnham was in Kyiv on Monday as western leaders took part in events marking Ukraine’s Independence Day.
In a speech delivered from the capital, he reiterated his support for Ukraine in spite of what he called Russia’s “outrageous threats” against the UK. The Russian Embassy in London had earlier this month threatened “consequences” after accusing Britain of “deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis.”
“We are with you in this struggle all the way heart and soul,” Burnham said. “And as prime minister, let me say that I am with you personally”.
The UK also announced this week that it would be providing Ukraine with the technology to produce its own Storm Shadow cruise missiles as it ramps up its support for the country.
Luke Pollard, the UK’s Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said the move would create “more deterrence against Russian aggression.”
Patriot missiles
Zelenskyy’s main wish, however, is the US’ coveted Patriot missiles.
The Patriot system is one of the most advanced air defence systems in the world and, while costly, can be used to defend against a range of hostile targets, including ballistic and cruise missiles, aircraft, and loitering munitions.
In July, Trump seemingly agreed to provide Kyiv with a license to produce missiles for the system domestically, but he later backtracked, saying you have to be “very careful about letting somebody build them.”
In a post on X on Sunday, Zelenskyy said he “wanted to secure 300 missiles for the Patriot systems” as part of a winter package.
“I would very much like to believe that we can find a way to access some small percentage of U.S. stockpiles – say, 5% or 10%. And we are ready to pay for those supplies,” he wrote.