Burnham to press Trump for Patriot missiles after Kyiv AI and Storm Shadow deals

The UK and Ukraine have signed an agreement to jointly develop artificial intelligence, defence and security tools, bringing together researchers, engineers and tech firms from both countries. The deal makes Britain the first international partner to access Ukraine's so-called Avengers AI labs, which are being used to develop systems for tracking and targeting enemy forces. It follows the news that Britain is giving Ukraine classified information on long-range missiles so that Ukrainians can assemble them themselves.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, making his first foreign visit since taking office, travelled to Kyiv for Ukrainian independence events. Standing alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky, he pledged continued support and announced that Ukraine would be allowed to build its own Storm Shadow missiles. Russia reacted angrily, with officials accusing Britain of participating in the war and adding fuel to the fire.

In return for the missile technology, Britain will gain access to Ukraine's operational experience in the new kind of warfare being fought on the front line, dominated by drones and AI. Ukraine is developing powerful AI platforms to trace, track and target the enemy, and the UK will now be able to draw on that expertise. The visit also saw a military parade comprising only unmanned weapon systems, the first of its kind.

Meanwhile, France has authorised Ukraine to use its technology to make its own interceptors to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks, but Britain's Ministry of Defence has said it will not do the same as part of this latest deal.

Following the Kyiv trip, Burnham is expected to travel to the United States next month. He told reporters in Kyiv, in an interview with Bloomberg, that he plans to lobby President Donald Trump to release Patriot missiles that Ukraine has been asking for. These interceptor missiles were diverted to the Middle East because of the conflict with Iran, and are considered essential for Ukraine to protect its energy infrastructure during the winter, when Russia is expected to step up attacks. Burnham, who has been in office only a couple of months, has yet to build a relationship with Trump, and will also need to address issues such as North Sea oil and gas and migration, on which the US president holds strong views.