New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a naval base in Portsmouth on board the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, making Zelensky the first foreign leader to visit Burnham since he took office on July 20.
Burnham said London is 100 percent behind Ukraine and confirmed readiness to send a military contingent once a truce begins. “We will help you keep the peace,” the prime minister said. “When the ceasefire finally takes effect, we will be ready to deploy multinational forces to strengthen Ukraine’s security in the long term.” In January 2025, Ukraine and Britain signed a 100-year partnership agreement, and in January 2026, Zelensky, then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a declaration on sending troops.
Burnham also announced that Ukraine would receive production rights for Stone Cloak electronic warfare systems. The technology is designed to protect drones from detection by air defense systems; according to the British side, thousands of devices have already been delivered to Ukraine. The leaders met with Ukrainian servicemen undergoing training in Britain.
In an interview with Sky News before the visit, Zelensky said that Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his view, is not ready to stop the war and is preparing for mobilization after the Duma elections. “He wants to do it after the Duma elections on September 21,” Zelensky said. “He wants to step up mobilization. Not openly, because he is afraid of his own society, but he will do it in early October if we do not create problems for him with logistics, weapons, gasoline, diesel and if our partners do not impose total sanctions.” Zelensky also said he is not afraid of threats from Iran because, in his opinion, both Iran and North Korea are already participating in the war on Russia’s side.
From Britain, Zelensky is heading to the United States: a meeting with President Donald Trump is scheduled for July 28. The Ukrainian president will also attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent supporter of Ukraine.