Prime Minister Andy Burnham will arrive in Kyiv on Monday on his first foreign visit in office, announcing plans to help Ukraine manufacture its own long-range missiles.

Under the new measures, the UK government will allow European defence company MBDA to declassify sensitive information regarding British-made components of the Anglo-French Storm Shadow and Scalp cruise missiles. The aim is to enable Ukrainian forces to eventually construct their own domestic version of the weaponry.

The UK is also set to assist France in setting up assembly lines directly inside Ukraine for long-range missiles, following a commitment made last month by French President Emmanuel Macron. While defence analysts expect the project will take several years to yield operational missiles, it marks a significant long-term shift in Western military support.

The announcement coincides with Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence. In a statement released on Sunday night, Burnham sought to reassure Kyiv of Britain's ongoing backing.

"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," Burnham said. "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 Prime Minister added: "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."

The visit comes at an intensely difficult time on the ground. Kyiv is currently braced for fresh waves of Russian missile strikes, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is facing growing domestic pressures. Tensions escalated further over the weekend following a Russian drone strike on a busy shopping centre in Zelenskyy’s home town of Kryvyi Rih, which killed 16 people and drew sharp condemnation from European leaders.

Ukraine’s military has also exhausted its stocks of US-made Patriot interceptors after US President Donald Trump backtracked on allowing Ukraine to manufacture them locally. Over the weekend, Zelenskyy confirmed he is attempting to buy replacement interceptors directly, stating: "I wanted to secure 300 Patriot missiles for the winter package. The request from our air force is 360." He has secured agreements for at least one French air-defence system this year, alongside roughly 600 interceptors from Germany scheduled for 2027 to 2028.

Macron spoke directly with Zelenskyy on Saturday to promise separate interceptor supplies, posting on X: "It is crucial to provide Ukraine with all the necessary means to defend its skies and thwart this aggression … It is essential that all countries with capabilities at their disposal also join this effort."

The move by London is likely to escalate friction with Moscow. Russian officials accused the UK last week of inflaming the war by enabling Ukrainian drone attacks, warning that "the higher the price it will pay" the deeper Britain's involvement goes. Over the weekend, Russia also withdrew its ambassador to London without naming a replacement, signalling a likely diplomatic downgrade.

Burnham has insisted the UK will not be intimidated by Moscow's rhetoric, noting last week: "We are not fair-weather friends. We will be there in Ukraine’s hour of need, and that won’t change."

During his stay in Kyiv on Monday, the Prime Minister will also join a meeting of the 34-nation coalition supporting Ukraine. What remains unclear is precisely how fast the shared technical data can be turned into functional Ukrainian assembly lines, but I'll be following this one — check back for updates.