Burnham welcomes Zelenskyy as first foreign leader visitor, unveils drone warfare technology

Britain shared sensitive drone-jamming technology with Ukraine as Andy Burnham welcomed Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his first meeting with a foreign leader since becoming prime minister.MANCHESTER, England (CN) — Prime Minister Andy Burnham welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to southern England on Monday, using his first meeting with a foreign leader since taking office to reaffirm Britain’s support for Ukraine and announce closer military cooperation.The two leaders met at a naval base in the coastal city of Portsmouth, where they toured facilities, spoke with Ukrainian troops training in Britain and discussed how to help Ukraine defend its critical national infrastructure ahead of winter.Britain also announced it will share the intellectual property behind a British electronic drone-jamming system designed to disrupt Russian air defenses.The visit marked Burnham’s first international engagement as prime minister and signaled continuity in British policy toward Ukraine after the change in government.Britain has been one of Ukraine’s closest military allies since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.On Friday, the government said it has committed $33 billion in support for Ukraine, including $21 billion in military aid, up to $7.5 billion in nonmilitary assistance and $4.5 billion in export finance for reconstruction and defense projects.Burnham, who became prime minister last week, said he and Zelenskyy focused on military cooperation, particularly protecting Ukraine’s energy and other critical infrastructure during the winter, when Russia has repeatedly targeted those systems with missile and drone attacks.“It was a very warm meeting. I thought I would get on well with him, and I did, we got on very well indeed,” Burnham said.“And this is going to be a close partnership. I intend to visit soon. And we will build this, and we will work through the different issues that President Zelensky has, many of which we’ve gone into today.”Joint military exercises and electronic jammersThe leaders also met about 200 Ukrainian soldiers and sailors taking part in Exercise Sea Breeze, a three-week British training program focused on naval security and counter-mine operations to prepare personnel for future missions in the Black Sea.During the visit, the government unveiled plans to share the intellectual property behind its Stone Cloak electronic jammer with Ukraine.Downing Street said the tablet-sized device can be mounted on drones to make them harder for Russian air defense systems to detect and target.Officials said the technology will also be tested in combat, allowing Britain’s Ministry of Defence to gather operational data for future weapons development.Before arriving, Zelenskyy praised the U.K.’s support. “Over the years of the full-scale war, we have built the strongest relationship in the entire history of cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom,” Zelenskyy wrote. “We value that we can always count on Britain’s principled decisions, leadership and support.”The visit came a day after Defense Secretary Wes Streeting argued Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security while maintaining close defense ties with the United States.Streeting said U.S. President Donald Trump had pushed European countries to increase defense spending, adding the pressure reflected concerns expressed by both Republican and Democratic administrations over many years.“We don’t always like what he says. We don’t always like his methods. But I genuinely think when this period of history is written, Europe will thank President Trump for shaking us out of our complacency and forcing us to stand on our own two feet and end the period of overreliance on the United States for defense," Streeting said.He was also clear that while the U.K. would not support offensive actions in Iran, “there are plenty of things that we can and should do together when it comes to securing the Strait of Hormuz.”Courthouse News reporter James Francis Whitehead is based in England.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads