Ukraine-Russia war latest: UK Storm Shadow blueprints given to Zelensky by Burnham

Andy Burnham laid a wreath and flowers at the graves of Ukrainian soldiers at the National Military Cemetery, as part of events marking the country’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

During the ceremony, the PM spoke to Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who told him that “we are in a war period” and warned of Ukraine’s difficulties repelling Russian ballistic missile attacks.

Later, he is expected to chair his first meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, set up by the UK and France to help Ukraine under his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer.

Ukraine is not ready “to simply surrender” to Russia at any price, Volodymyr Zelensky said in a defiant speech marking Independence Day ⁠celebrations.

Standing in a traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt in front of the golden-domed St Michael’s monastery ⁠in Kyiv where burned-out Russian tanks are on show, the president reiterated that his country will not surrender territory.

He said Russia’s demand – repeatedly rejected by Ukraine – that ​Kyiv cede ⁠the remaining part of the eastern ‌Donbas area that is not in Russian hands after 4-1/2 years of war would not be enough to stop the war.

“We will not let them (Russians) seize the initiative, deceive Europe and the entire world into thinking ‌that we simply need to give up Donbas and everything will ‌be over soon,” Zelensky added.

Paying ​tribute to the people and soldiers defending Ukraine in the war, he again urged ‌allies to bring Russia to the negotiating table and hit it with more sanctions.

Two people have been killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian border region of Belgorod.

Local authorities said two others were also injured in the attack earlier today.

In the past week, Ukraine has been targeting Russian logistic depots in the region.

The European Commission has unveiled a further £5.2 billion in aid for Ukraine – for new defence systems, such as air ⁠defence, missiles, ​ammunition ⁠and radars to repel the worsening Russian attacks.

This ⁠latest aid package comes ​on ⁠top of £13.6 billion ‌of previously approved procurement plans, of which £7 billion ‌had already been ‌disbursed, the EU said.

“As Russia intensifies its attacks, we are ⁠stepping up to help Ukraine protect its people and defend its skies. Europe stands with Ukraine and we will deliver ‌what it needs, ​when it needs ‌it,” said ⁠European Commission President ⁠Ursula von der Leyen in a ‌statement.

The SCALP missile is the French-manufactured version of the prized British Storm Shadow.

It is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile, designed to hit high‑value fixed or fortified targets with precision and low observability.

It has a strike capability of over 155 miles , which means that it would potentially allow Ukraine to attack targets deeper into Russian territory.

This will be a massive boost to Ukraine in its efforts to target military sites in Russia.

Downing Street said the decision will allow France and Ukraine to go ahead with assembly of the missile on Ukrainian territory.

It follows efforts by the two countries to expand local production of long-range weapons, so it does not have to rely entirely on deliveries of complete missiles from abroad.

Britain was the first country to provide Ukraine with Western long-range strike missiles when it supplied Storm Shadow back in 2023.

A UK government minister has insisted whether to call an election on Volodymyr Zelensky premiership is an “internal matter for the people of Ukraine”.

Zelensky has faced pressure to call an election in recent weeks after sacked defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for a contest.

Defence minister Luke Pollard told Sky News: “When to have an election is an internal matter for the people of Ukraine, the government of Ukraine.

“If I look at the parallel with the United Kingdom during the Second World War, while there was war waging in Europe, we didn’t have elections, but that will be a matter for them. B

“But having spoken to both President Zelensky and the former defence minister you mentioned in the past, I know that both of them are committed to the defence of their nation and seeing through their nation to get to a peaceful conclusion to the conflict. It is up to them and their system about how they handle those internal affairs.”

German foreign minister Johann Wadephul plans to speak to his US counterpart, Marco Rubio, by phone today to urge him to become more personally involved in diplomatic efforts related to the war in Ukraine, he told radio broadcaster Deutschlandfunk.

Wadephul, who was recently in Ukraine, told the ⁠broadcaster that US diplomacy ​had ⁠so far been handled largely by presidential envoys Jared Kushner and Steve ⁠Witkoff.

Negotiations between Russia and the US to bring about an end to the conflict in Ukraine have largely stalled amid the war in Iran, and the Kremlin said last week that ‌it had no information yet on a ​possible next visit by Kushner ‌and Witkoff.

Russian deputy ⁠foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov had said ⁠in an interview on Friday that Russia was ready to ‌listen to ​Rubio’s new ideas and ‌continue dialogue with Washington.

“I may be able to encourage him (Rubio) myself to do more there,” the German minister said, adding that Berlin was pursuing other channels to help restart negotiations.

The Ukrainian military struck a Russian MIG-29 fighter aircraft and two Russian vessels in the Black Sea overnight, Ukraine’s drone forces commander Robert Brovdi said on Monday.

Brovdi ‌said on Telegram ⁠that one of the vessels attacked was a tanker, and ‌the other ​was ‌a ⁠bulk carrier.