'This is not a path of confrontation': Burnham hits back at Moscow’s claims Britain fuelling fire of Ukraine war
Burnham rejected claims that Britain was responsible for stirring up the conflict in Ukraine and maintaied unwavering support for Zelenskyy as part of his first foreign trip to Kyiv
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain’s support for Ukraine is about helping the country defend itself - not "a path of confrontation".
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Andy Burnham has hit back at accusations from Moscow of fuelling the fire of the war with Ukraine by responding: “Who started the fire?”
He told LBC: “It's not a path of confrontation. It's doing what Britain has done since the start of this conflict, which is to provide support for Ukraine to defend itself.”
The Prime Minister added that Britain was “not a fair-weather friend”, and said continued backing for Kyiv was vital for European security.
This comes as Burnham undertakes his first official trip as prime minister to Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital city.
He used the opportunity to hit back at the accusations that Britain has stirred up the conflict by providing Ukraine with blueprints to make its own long-range missiles.
He told reporters: “Who started the fire? That’s the question."
Read more: LIVE: Andy Burnham blasts Russia's 'outrageous threats' ahead of meeting with Zelenskyy
Burnham has compared Ukraine's resistance to Britain's fight against the Nazis in the Second World War, according to LBC's political editor Natasha Clark, who is travelling with the prime minister.
He used the opportunity to pledge unwavering support for Kyiv and said on Monday that Britain was doing all it could against Putin’s forces.
A move designed to reiterate the UK’s continued support for the war-ravaged country, Burnham is poised to hand Zelenskyy weapons blueprints in a bid to help Ukraine assemble long-range Storm Shadow missiles.
The PM arrived in the Ukrainian capital on Monday morning, as Burnham was pictured shaking hands with Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, at a train station in Kyiv.
Moscow recently threatened “consequences” over the reported use of British drones by Ukraine in its recent ramping up of deep strikes into Russia’s mainland.
Mr Burnham said: “On Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes.
“I am proud of the contribution our country has made to Ukraine and I want the Ukrainian people to hear it directly from me that our support will not waver. After all, Ukraine’s security is our security.”
The Government has agreed to allow defence firm MBDA to release classified information on UK components for the long-range Scalp missile – the French-produced version of the UK’s Storm Shadow.
Both missiles use shared French and British technology, and Ukraine and France are looking to set up local assembly lines for Scalp missiles in Ukraine.
Mr Burnham said: “The friendship between our two countries will long outlast Russia’s illegal war. In both the fight and in the rebuilding to come, we will stand with Ukraine and deliver opportunities for people across both our countries.
“Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve. We will not back down until there is a just and lasting peace.”
Burnham welcomed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the UK during his first weeks in office.
Last week, Russia accused the UK of deliberately escalating the conflict in relation to the UK-made drones and said the deeper the country’s involvement became, “the higher the price it will pay”.
Russia’s ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, has left his post in London in recent weeks.
The Kremlin has not yet put forward a replacement candidate and in the meantime, the charge d’affaires has taken the lead, an embassy spokesman told The Times, raising questions about whether Russia is seeking to downgrade its diplomatic relations with the UK.
Following the Prime Minister's journey to Ukraine, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister met the President of the European Council Antonio Costa on the train to Kyiv last night, as the two leaders travelled into the city to mark Independence Day.
"It was a vital moment to show unity and solidarity with Ukraine, the leaders agreed.
"Turning to the UK’s relationship with the European Union, the two leaders underlined the importance of being ambitious to drive a step change in relations.
"The UK had to be bolder in terms of getting closer to the bloc, the Prime Minister said.
"That included building on the close defence and security ties already forged between the UK and European Allies to drive greater cooperation across all areas of the relationship, he added.
"The UK-EU summit set to be held later this year, would offer a platform to continue that work, the leaders agreed.
"Both looked forward to seeing one and another at the Coalition of the Willing later today."