Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Aug 24
Burnham Confirms SCALP Missile Aid in Kyiv as EU Approves €6.1 Billion for Ukraine
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Aug 24

Burnham Confirms SCALP Missile Aid in Kyiv as EU Approves €6.1 Billion for Ukraine

3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Aug 24

Summary

  • Andy Burnham used his first foreign trip as UK prime minister to confirm Britain will let MBDA share classified data so Ukraine can set up SCALP cruise-missile assembly lines.
  • The Kyiv visit coincides with Ukraine's 35th Independence Day and a Coalition of the Willing meeting, where Burnham and other allies are pressing more military support as Russian attacks on civilians intensify.
  • €6.1 billion in new EU defense funding was approved for air and missile defenses, missiles, ammunition and radars, adding to €16 billion already cleared under earlier procurement plans.
  • Moscow cast the UK move as direct participation in the war, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Russia would target and destroy any missile-production facilities built in Ukraine.
  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants peace but will not cede Donbas, underscoring Kyiv's push for stronger backing as Patriot interceptor deliveries have fallen sharply since 2023.

Insights

Could declassifying secret UK missile technology transform Ukraine into a self-sufficient military powerhouse despite relentless bombardments?
What hidden dangers await the 34-nation coalition as they prepare a post-ceasefire military force inside Ukraine?
Will sharing highly classified electronic warfare secrets with Kyiv trigger the devastating retaliation Moscow recently warned about?