Burnham says UK ready to send troops to Ukraine

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham told President Volodymyr Zelensky in Portsmouth on July 27 that London and its allies are ready to deploy a military contingent to Ukraine after a ceasefire begins, Meduza reported.

“We are 100% with Ukraine. Personally, I am 100% with you, Mr. President. And I will fully meet all the obligations our country has undertaken before Ukraine,” Burnham said, according to the report.

Burnham said London supports Ukraine “in achieving a full ceasefire” and would continue to lead the “coalition of the willing” with its allies. “We will help you preserve peace,” he said. “When the ceasefire finally comes into force, we will be ready to deploy multinational forces to strengthen Ukraine’s security in the long term.”

Burnham also confirmed that the UK will transfer to Ukraine a license for the Stone Cloak electronic warfare system, which the article said is intended to protect drones from detection.

The meeting took place aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth at the naval base in Portsmouth. Zelensky became the first foreign leader received by the new British prime minister after Burnham took office.

UK authorities first said in early 2025 that they were ready to send troops to Ukraine to provide security guarantees for a possible ceasefire agreement, in a statement by then-prime minister Keir Starmer. In January 2026, Zelensky, Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a declaration on sending troops to Ukraine after the war; it referred to “multinational forces” for security guarantees but did not specify their size.