President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham for the first time in person at the Royal Navy’s Portsmouth Naval Base.

The visit marked the first by a foreign leader to the United Kingdom since Andy Burnham assumed office as Prime Minister on 20 July.

The two leaders held both one-on-one talks and delegation-level discussions aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Expanding the Ukraine–UK defence partnership was one of the central topics of the meeting.

President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Burnham agreed to accelerate bilateral defence cooperation, particularly by advancing joint weapons production and establishing defence manufacturing facilities in both Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

The British Prime Minister also announced a new package of military assistance for Ukraine.

“We are providing Ukraine with British-made electronic warfare technologies to protect Ukrainian drones. This will help them strike targets more accurately and save Ukrainian lives,” Andy Burnham said.

The leaders also discussed the work of the Anti-Ballistic Coalition and the Coalition of the Willing.

According to Prime Minister Burnham, the United Kingdom will continue to co-chair the Coalition of the Willing and assist in preparations for the partners’ next meeting, scheduled for August.

During the talks, President Zelenskyy stressed the importance of safeguarding maritime routes, noting that any disruption to shipping affects not only Ukraine but also global security and international trade.

Prime Minister Burnham reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s unwavering support for Ukraine and stressed that London would continue increasing pressure on Russia. He added that Ukraine has changed the course of the war and continues to seize the initiative on the battlefield.