New British PM Burnham Reaffirms Strong Commitment to Ukraine

London (ANTARA) - British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Monday (20 July) held separate telephone calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to reaffirm his commitment to Ukraine.

During the telephone conversation with Zelenskyy, Burnham reaffirmed his and Britain’s “steadfast commitment” to Ukraine and underlined that “there will be absolutely no change in the UK’s approach, including in terms of pressuring Russia.”

He also conveyed his condolences to the families and loved ones of Ukrainian citizens who lost their lives in recent Russian attacks, according to a statement from Burnham’s office.

“The Prime Minister invited President Zelenskyy to the United Kingdom as soon as possible and expressed his hope to discuss how the two countries can strengthen defences for Ukraine and Europe as a whole.”

Separately, Burnham also spoke with von der Leyen, saying that he looked forward to working closely with her.

“Building a closer and more ambitious relationship is key to success for both the UK and Europe,” said the British Prime Minister.

The two agreed that their teams should work closely together ahead of the UK-European Union summit at the end of this year.

Turning to Ukraine, Burnham underlined that “the UK’s steadfast commitment to Ukraine will be very strong” under his government.

Earlier on Monday (20 July), Burnham also held a telephone call with US President Donald Trump to discuss defence and security as well as the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.