Burnham and European leaders arrive in Kyiv as Ukraine marks Independence Day
· World · ABC News, The Independent
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham arrived in Kyiv on Monday for his first overseas trip since taking office, coinciding with Ukraine's Independence Day. Burnham is scheduled to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and co-chair a meeting of the coalition of the willing alongside other international leaders. Other European officials present in the capital include European Council President Antonio Costa, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden, and Estonian President Alar Karis. Burnham is expected to announce that the U.K. Government has agreed to allow defense company MBDA to release classified information regarding British components used in the SCALP long-range missile. This agreement is intended to enable France and Ukraine to advance plans for local production of the weapon within Ukraine. Ukraine is marking 35 years of independence following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
Why it matters
The agreement on SCALP missile components paves the way for France and Ukraine to establish local production lines for long-range weaponry. This visit also reinforces ongoing European and British diplomatic and defense support for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia.
Read the original report — ABC News
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