Burnham to lobby US for Patriot missiles as Ukraine data deal deepens

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to travel to New York in September to join European leaders in lobbying US President Donald Trump for Patriot missile supplies for Ukraine. Speaking to Bloomberg, Burnham described the trip as “likely” but noted that details were not yet “fully confirmed.” The visit, which would coincide with the United Nations General Assembly, marks his first trip to the United States since assuming office in July 2026.

The diplomatic push follows Burnham’s recent visit to Kyiv, where he met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and co-chaired the first meeting of the “coalition of the willing.” During the talks, Burnham characterised the current missile shortage as “fixable,” acknowledging that a solution would require “a lot of layers and a lot of negotiation” with other influential players. He urged allies to draw down their own stocks to assist Kyiv, which has seen its Patriot interceptor supplies diminish significantly this year.

The reduction in available missiles is largely attributed to the diversion of stockpiles to the Middle East following the outbreak of the US war with Iran. Zelenskyy has repeatedly pleaded for US-made Patriot interceptors in recent months as Ukraine struggles under continued Russian bombardment. Russia has capitalised on the shortage by stepping up ballistic missile strikes, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 in the past three days.

Beyond the missile debate, the Kyiv visit resulted in significant institutional agreements between the two nations. The UK and Ukraine signed a deal granting the Ministry of Defence, along with selected British companies, access to Ukraine’s “Avengers” AI database. The arrangement is intended to help the UK develop AI-powered security solutions by learning from Ukraine’s battlefield experience.

Additionally, the UK agreed to allow defence firm MBDA to release classified information on UK components for the long-range Scalp missile to Ukraine. A Downing Street spokesperson described the coalition meeting as “honest and productive,” emphasising the “strength of unity” among member states and the need for the international community to step up support for Ukraine as winter approaches.

The deepening defence ties have not gone unnoticed in Moscow. Kremlin adviser Andrei Fedorov warned that British factories producing drones for Ukraine could face attacks from “unknown sources.” Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Fedorov suggested the possibility of “semi-military” action, such as hacker attacks, noting that he could not “100% exclude” a visible reaction from Russia towards the UK.