New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Portsmouth naval base on Monday, marking his first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader since taking office a week ago. The encounter, held aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, was designed to signal continuity in Britain's staunch backing of Kyiv.
“You are the first leader I have welcomed in person since taking office, and that is no accident,” Burnham told Zelenskyy. “It is intended to send a very clear message: we are with Ukraine 100%, I am personally with you 100%, and I will honor every commitment this country has made to Ukraine in full.”
Zelenskyy described the bilateral relationship as “stronger than ever.” The two leaders focused on two pressing military needs: joint production of drones and the urgent supply of ballistic missile interceptors to counter an intensifying Russian campaign against Ukraine's energy grid.
Drone factory and winter defense
Burnham said they had “talked at length” about Kyiv's requirement for more interceptors to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles, “particularly in terms of Ukraine protecting critical national infrastructure during the winters.” He added, “We've taken away some things that we will now follow up with our partners.”
Russia has escalated strikes on gas infrastructure, power plants, and other critical sites this year, aiming to strain Ukraine's logistics and energy networks as winter approaches. The UK has already signed an agreement with Ukraine to cooperate on drone development, and Zelenskyy told Sky News ahead of the meeting that he hopes to establish a “big, big factory” in Britain for drone production. This aligns with broader European efforts to ramp up Ukraine's drone capabilities.
During the visit, Burnham and Zelenskyy also met more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel taking part in a three-week training exercise in Britain. The UK government said the exercise is designed to enhance combat capabilities and strengthen mine countermeasure operations in the Black Sea.
The meeting comes as Ukraine faces renewed pressure on multiple fronts. Russia has intensified its aerial bombardment, and Zelenskyy has warned of imminent missile attacks. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to isolate Moscow continue, with Kazakhstan's President Tokayev recently urging Vladimir Putin to freeze the war—a call Kyiv welcomed.
Burnham's pledge of full support reinforces the UK's role as one of Ukraine's most vocal backers in Europe, alongside EU member states. The new prime minister's decision to host Zelenskyy at a naval base—a symbol of British military power—underscores the strategic importance London places on the relationship. As the conflict enters its third winter, the focus on interceptors and drone production reflects Ukraine's urgent need to defend its cities and infrastructure while also striking deeper into Russian territory.
