Burnham hosts Zelenskyy at Portland naval base to reaffirm UK security pact
Downing Street confirms £25bn in total support since 2022, with focus on Stone Cloak jammer integration for future UK weaponry
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a naval base in Portland, Dorset, marking his first overseas visit since assuming office. The meeting serves as a demonstration of the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion, signalling a continuation of the diplomatic and military posture established by his predecessor, Keir Starmer.
The visit follows the conclusion of the second phase of Exercise Sea Breeze in Portland, which ended on Friday. This 15-country maritime training deployment, focused on mine countermeasures, involved more than 200 Ukrainian personnel. Burnham and Zelenskyy are scheduled to address military personnel from both nations who participated in the exercise, reinforcing the operational ties between the two armed forces.
Central to the discussions is the "Stone Cloak" electronic jammer technology. The UK has shared the intellectual property for the device, allowing Ukraine to mass-produce the jammers, which are roughly the size of a tablet computer. These units are currently being fitted to drones to disrupt Russian air defence tracking and are also scheduled for integration into new UK weaponry, including cruise missiles.
In a statement released by Downing Street, Burnham emphasised the strategic importance of this technology. He described Stone Cloak as "the best of homegrown British innovation and proven on the frontline," noting that it would be vital to protecting security in both countries. The Prime Minister reiterated that Britain stands "shoulder to shoulder" with Ukraine and would not back down until a just peace is achieved.
Financial and military figures released by No 10 indicate that total UK support for Ukraine since the full invasion in February 2022 has reached £25bn, comprising £16bn in military assistance. The meeting also follows a period of significant diplomatic activity, including Zelenskyy’s previous visits to meet Starmer and King Charles, and the presentation of the Order of Freedom to the former Prime Minister during his final trip to Kyiv.
The visit comes less than two weeks after Starmer made his final foreign visit to Ukraine. Zelenskyy had previously expressed hope to build a strong relationship with Burnham, arranging this meeting "as soon as possible" to ensure continuity in the UK’s backing of Kyiv’s defence efforts against Russian aggression.
