Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK’s support for Ukraine will “not waver” despite the upcoming transition in leadership, insisting the change at the top of government will not alter Britain’s commitment to Kyiv. Speaking during what he described as his final visit to the Ukrainian capital while in office, Sir Keir met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy just hours after Russian strikes reportedly killed two people and injured six others, including a teenager. During the visit, Sir Keir announced a 300 million euro (£255 million) package to help fund a squadron of 16 Swedish Gripen fighter jets for Ukraine by 2029, a move the Government says will also support around 5,000 jobs across more than 50 UK companies involved in the aircraft’s supply chain. Addressing reporters alongside President Zelenskyy, Sir Keir said the expected change in UK leadership would not affect Britain’s backing for Ukraine.
“The fact that there will be a new prime minister in the United Kingdom, in the days to come, doesn’t change that dynamic at all,” he said. “The resolve of the United Kingdom remains the same, it will not waver.”
He added that support for Ukraine had remained steadfast since the outbreak of the conflict, pointing to continued backing across the political spectrum and noting that the Ukrainian flag continued to fly above Downing Street. Sir Keir’s comments come amid reports that Andy Burnham is expected to succeed him as Labour leader and become Prime Minister in the coming days. Mr Burnham has yet to announce his Cabinet. When asked whether he was disappointed not to see an end to the war before leaving office, Sir Keir replied: “This isn’t about me, it’s about a country, Ukraine, that has faced an aggressor for now in the fifth year.” During the visit, President Zelenskyy presented Sir Keir with Ukraine’s Order of Freedom, the country’s highest honour awarded to foreign nationals. The Ukrainian leader also thanked Sir Keir and the United Kingdom for their continued support, praising Britain’s “unwavering respect for our warriors” and those who had “made the ultimate sacrifice to defend Ukraine and all of Europe”. According to a Downing Street readout, the two leaders agreed that the recent increase in Russian attacks on Kyiv was “despicable” and reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation. The Government said the Gripen programme would strengthen Ukraine’s air defences while supporting thousands of skilled jobs in the UK, including at Saab UK in Fareham and Leonardo UK in Edinburgh. President Zelenskyy said he had developed “strong relations” with each of the UK prime ministers during the conflict and expressed hope of building the same relationship with Britain’s next leader as soon as possible.
