UK PM Burnham gives Ukraine long-range missile blueprints; Russia warns of higher price

Andy Burnham stepped onto the international stage this week for the first time as UK prime minister.

Having rarely weighed in on foreign affairs over his decades in politics, his trip to Ukraine attracted more attention than usual — including from Russia.

What Did Burnham Do?

Burnham went beyond the platitudes European politicians are often accused of using with Ukraine. Instead, he gave Kyiv the blueprints to build its own long-range missiles — a move that meant releasing classified information so Ukraine can intensify its attacks on Russia.

His announcement came a week after it was confirmed that British drones had been used by Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russia.

Moscow's Reaction

Moscow was furious.

• The Russian embassy in the UK warned Britain that the "deeper its involvement in the conflict, the higher the price it will pay."
• Vladimir Putin's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, echoed that sentiment.
• The Kremlin accused Britain of "participating in this war" after handing over the blueprints, claiming Britain had added "fuel to the fire."

Burnham's Response

Burnham shrugged off the threats by asking: "Who started the fire?"

He insisted Britain will not just be a "fair-weather friend" to Ukraine and showed no sign of being intimidated. Burnham also noted that he was simply supporting the same ally that Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak, and Boris Johnson prominently backed when they were in office.

UK's Track Record

He's right: the UK has already committed to £25 billion in funding for Ukraine since Putin invaded in 2022, £16 billion of which was in military assistance.

There is no love lost between Britain and Russia. Animosity has been rising ever since Putin annexed Crimea in 2014, and relations took a nosedive after the 2018 Salisbury poisonings.

Moscow also withdrew its ambassador from the London embassy the day after Burnham got the keys to No. 10. A month later, Russia is yet to offer any appropriate candidates to the Foreign Office.

What Comes Next?

However, there are fears Burnham's actions this week may have triggered fresh ire in Moscow — especially at a time when Putin is reportedly feeling rather desperate.

• Russian casualties have reportedly reached 30,000 a month.
• Fuel shortages and long-range Ukrainian attacks have brought the distant war home for many Russian citizens.

With so many signs that the Ukraine conflict — which has now lasted longer than World War I — is going wrong for Putin, could the authoritarian look to broaden his aggression and make Britain public enemy number one?

On this week's Commons People, we unpick the significance of Burnham's trip to Kyiv and just how concerned Brits should be about Russia right now.

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