Burnham to join European push for US missile aid to Ukraine
Andy Burnham has indicated he will travel to New York in September for the UN General Assembly to join European leaders in urging Donald Trump to provide Ukraine with Patriot interceptor missiles. During his first visit to Kyiv as prime minister, Burnham reiterated the UK's support and said the supply problem is 'fixable'. Ukraine has received fewer Patriot missiles this year due to diversions to the Middle East.
Burnham's Kyiv visit marked his first foreign trip since taking office, where he chaired a meeting of the "coalition of the willing" nations backing Ukraine. He has publicly stated the Patriot missile supply shortfall is "fixable," citing diversions of US-made interceptors to the Middle East as a key factor in reduced deliveries this year.
The UN General Assembly runs from 22 to 28 September, drawing nearly 200 world leaders. Defence secretary Wes Streeting is scheduled to co-chair the Ukraine defence contact group that month, a body spanning 32 NATO members plus 25 additional countries. Burnham and foreign secretary Ed Miliband also plan to address Gaza and Sudan's humanitarian crisis during the gathering, which coincides with the first anniversary of Keir Starmer's Palestinian state recognition.
This story could signal a shift in how European leaders engage directly with the Trump administration on security matters. If Burnham secures a meeting, it may influence US decisions on Patriot missile allocations, potentially affecting civilian safety in Ukrainian cities facing aerial attacks. The outcome could also shape transatlantic relations more broadly, with implications for NATO cohesion and European defence strategy. However, the actual impact depends on whether diplomatic pressure translates into concrete policy changes from Washington.