UK-Ukraine Defense Partnership

Ousted Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has warned that Ukraine is "slowly losing" its war against Russia, calling for urgent investment in AI-guided drones, a domestic ballistic missile programme and low-cost interceptors. Fedorov, who served from January until his dismissal last month, also criticised government corruption and a lack of institutional independence. His removal has triggered weeks of street protests demanding his reinstatement, and polling suggests he could defeat President Volodymyr Zelensky in a wartime presidential election.

Meanwhile, Zelensky has appealed for an air-defence support package ahead of winter and requested 27 billion euros to fund 2026 defence spending. British Prime Minister Burnham urged allies to dig deeper into stockpiles for Patriot missiles and is set to share Storm Shadow component data with Kyiv. European Council President Antonio Costa pledged to accelerate a 90-billion-euro EU loan earmarked for Ukraine.

On the battlefield, Russian strikes on Independence Day killed at least one civilian and wounded more than 30, including at least 20 injured in a drone strike on central Chernihiv. A Ukrainian drone attack in Russia's Krasnodar region killed two people and set an oil refinery ablaze.

Ukraine has received a small batch of Patriot missiles and confirmed future deliveries of French Crotale air defence systems, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Tuesday, as Kyiv seeks to shore up its defences after months of acute shortages.

The deliveries follow a US-Ukrainian agreement on monthly Patriot missile shipments and additional AIM interceptors. Zelenskyy has said Ukraine possesses roughly two and a half times fewer missiles than last year, a shortfall worsened since the US-Israel conflict with Iran began in February. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to visit Washington in September to press for access to US Patriot stockpiles.

Meanwhile, Norway confirmed nine billion euros in annual support for 2027, and the EU is accelerating loan disbursements for air defence and energy infrastructure. Russia and the Vatican held peace talks in Moscow on Tuesday.

Andy Burnham has declined to rule out tax increases in the upcoming autumn Budget, acknowledging the UK is in a "challenging position" on public finances.

The warning comes as official figures showed government borrowing rose to £1.8 billion in July, 68.7% higher than a year earlier, while inflation surged to a four-month high of 2.9% amid fallout from the Iran war. Chancellor John Healey faces pressure to raise taxes or cut spending as public finances leave no room for extra borrowing.

Separately, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said the government is "tilting" towards council and social housebuilding with £10 billion in funding for more than 70,000 homes. London Mayor Sadiq Khan will receive £6 billion to spend on housing, with further allocations directed to Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and other regions. Britain also became the first ally granted access to Ukraine's battlefield data to help train military AI systems.

Finland and Ukraine have signed three defence industry cooperation agreements covering drones, maritime unmanned systems and ground robots, deepening military ties as Kyiv continues to fight off Russia's invasion. The documents were signed during Finnish President Alexander Stubb's visit to Kyiv on Ukraine's Independence Day.

Finnish companies Patria, Insta and Boomeranger signed cooperation papers with Ukrainian partners. Patria and Ukrainian drone maker General Cherry agreed on a letter of intent for drone production in Finland, with executive Mikko Leino saying output could begin within months. Stubb said approximately 90 per cent of Finnish drone production would go to Ukraine, with the remainder staying in Finland. Separately, Innokas signed a letter of intent with Ukrainian developer Airlogix to establish domestic drone manufacturing.

Meanwhile, the Finnish Defence Forces have contracted Insta Group for FPV micro-drone systems in a deal worth up to 14 million euros, with the equipment rolling out for training across all military units.

Leaders of the pro-Ukraine Coalition of the Willing pledged to increase military support for Kyiv, prioritising air defence, defence-industrial cooperation and technology sharing, while French President Emmanuel Macron called for a ministerial meeting in the coming weeks to coordinate action against Russia's shadow oil fleet.

Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham affirmed Ukraine's inherent right to self-defence following a video conference, as London approved Zelenskyy's request to build long-range cruise missiles using British Storm Shadow technology — a move Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned as pouring oil on the fire of the war.

Macron announced large-scale coalition exercises in Poland for October and November, though Italy will not participate. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed humanitarian aid including new generators. The coalition also welcomed U.S. Senate efforts to increase economic pressure on Moscow and urged an immediate, unconditional ceasefire.

Ukraine and the United Kingdom signed an agreement on Monday to share battlefield artificial intelligence data and defense technology, a partnership designed to merge Kyiv's operational experience with Britain's AI ecosystem. President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Andy Burnham sealed the deal in Kyiv during a meeting of allies.

Under the agreement, Britain will access Ukraine's Avengers AI Labs database, which contains millions of images of Russian tanks, air defense systems, drones, and artillery captured by battlefield cameras and infrared sensors. The data will train AI models for British armed forces. Pilot projects with three UK startups — Sintela, Mind Foundry, and Skyral — will test the technology at British defense sites to protect bases and critical infrastructure using AI-powered fiber-optic sensors.

Burnham also agreed to share classified details on Storm Shadow cruise missile components with Ukraine. Moscow accused Britain of escalating its involvement in the conflict, while Zelensky said Ukraine needs $27 billion to confront Russia this winter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia plans to mobilize 300,000 additional soldiers following its parliamentary elections in September, with Moscow aiming to seize the remainder of Ukraine's Donetsk region. Zelensky stated that Russia has lost 267,000 troops since the start of the year, including approximately 155,000 killed, prompting President Vladimir Putin to order his generals to complete the occupation of Donetsk by year's end.

Kyiv faces mounting defense challenges as interceptor missile deliveries have declined sharply — from 675 in 2023 to just 264 expected this year. Ukraine is seeking 30 billion euros from the European Union to cover a defense budget shortfall of $27 billion, though some assistance is materializing: France has pledged the SAMP/T-NG air defense system and Britain has approved Storm Shadow missile production in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russian forces already control 80 percent of Donetsk, while Ukrainian troops have recaptured 500 to 600 square kilometers in Zaporizhzhia this summer. Ten Ukrainian soldiers were freed in a prisoner exchange on Ukraine's Independence Day.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for a bolder approach to rebuilding relations with the European Union, telling European Council President António Costa during a meeting on Sunday evening that the UK should build on existing security cooperation to collaborate more closely across all areas.

The two leaders met aboard a train bound for Kyiv, where they will mark Ukraine's Independence Day on Monday. During the same journey, Burnham discussed defence spending mechanisms with Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden, including a UK-backed multilateral defence facility and a Canadian-supported defence bank.

The push follows a Brexit reset agreed under former prime minister Keir Starmer in 2025, though Burnham has ruled out rejoining the EU, customs union, or single market. A UK-EU summit scheduled for later this year is expected to advance discussions on the relationship. This marks Burnham's first international visit as prime minister.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used his address marking the 35th anniversary of independence to declare that Russia must be forced to its knees through international unity and rebuffed renewed Russian demands to cede the Donetsk region. In a 21-minute video, Zelensky said that after more than 1,640 days of war, Ukraine had overcome tasks that once appeared insurmountable and praised its domestic defence industry as a giant strengthening the nation around the clock.

Zelensky urged China to end its silence and commended the United States under President Donald Trump for shedding its illusions about Russia, while calling for sanctions that would make Moscow "howl."

The anniversary drew tangible allied support: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged continued backing, and the European Commission released a further €6.1 billion from its €90 billion loan package. A coalition of willing nations, including European Council President António Costa and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, gathered in Kyiv to discuss further military assistance.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will travel to Kyiv on Monday for Ukraine's independence day, using his first foreign trip in office to announce the declassification of UK-made components for Storm Shadow/Scalp cruise missiles. The move, allowing European defence firm MBDA to share technical data, is intended to help Ukraine develop its own long-range strike capability.

Burnham will co-chair a coalition of the willing meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, joining remotely, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The visit follows a deadly drone strike on a Kryvyi Rih shopping centre on Friday that killed at least 16 people, and comes as Kyiv warns it has exhausted US-made Patriot interceptors.

Russia, which accused Britain of deliberately escalating the conflict, has withdrawn its ambassador from London without naming a replacement. Zelenskyy, whom Burnham hosted at Downing Street shortly after taking office in July, is seeking hundreds of additional air-defence missiles ahead of winter.

Ukraine has begun testing a satellite communications alternative to Starlink in partnership with an unnamed European country, as both Kyiv and Moscow seek to reduce dependence on Elon Musk's network. The project mirrors a parallel Russian-Chinese effort that Moscow expects to complete by December 2026.

The push for alternatives follows SpaceX's decision last year to block Russian access to Starlink terminals in Ukraine. Kyiv now hopes to persuade Musk and Washington to allow Starlink-guided strikes inside Russian territory, though Musk has cited escalation risks as a barrier to such use.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to receive Western air-defence support, having obtained 264 Patriot interceptor missiles so far in 2026, down from 364 in 2025 and 675 in 2023.

Norway will maintain its support for Ukraine at a record $9 billion in 2027, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced on Sunday, matching this year's level as Kyiv seeks to shore up allies amid a reported $27 billion military shortfall. The bulk of the new package, delivered through the Nansen Support Programme, will be directed toward military assistance, including purchases from Ukraine's domestic defence industry.

Støre arrived in Kyiv on Saturday alongside Nordic and Baltic leaders ahead of a Monday summit of the so-called coalition of the willing. French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will co-chair the gathering, which brings together representatives from more than 30 nations on Ukraine's Independence Day. President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the European Union to accelerate disbursement of a €90 billion loan to help close the funding gap.

The diplomatic push comes as the battlefield intensifies. A Russian strike on a shopping centre in Kryvyj Rih killed at least 14 people, while Ukrainian drones hit Ozon warehouses deep inside Russia for a second consecutive night.