The UK government is going all out to support Ukraine.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss additional supplies of Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles, while UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting is visiting the US to urge continued American support for Ukraine.

On the 15th (local time), Bloomberg reported that Prime Minister Burnham discussed the additional supply of Storm Shadows when President Zelenskyy visited London the previous day.

Manufactured by missile maker MBDA, the Storm Shadow is a precision-guided, air-launched cruise missile with a range exceeding 250 km.

It was jointly designed by the UK and France, and is known as SCALP in France.

It is evaluated as effective in piercing air defense systems by flying at high speed at low altitude following the terrain to strike military and industrial targets.

The UK has been providing Storm Shadows to Ukraine since 2023, initially restricting their use to combat zones within Ukrainian territory.

Since late 2024, Ukrainian forces have been firing Storm Shadows at military targets inside Russian territory.

According to Bloomberg, the UK views Ukrainian long-range strikes on facilities inside Russia involved in attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure as a "defensive act."

Detailed information such as the quantity of additional supplies or the timeline has not been disclosed.

For security reasons, the UK has not disclosed the quantity of Storm Shadows provided to Ukraine so far, and has often kept previous delivery schedules confidential as well.

The US administration under Donald Trump has reportedly asked Ukraine to halt drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, but sources speaking to Bloomberg said the UK's position is that Ukraine should not stop striking Russia while Moscow refuses to halt its attacks.

Officials also explained that Russia has increased production of jet-powered drones and missiles over the past few weeks, making it crucial for Ukraine to have the capacity to counter them.

While the UK government declined to comment, a defense source told the British daily The Telegraph, "We continue to provide military support to back Ukraine's clear right to defend itself against Russia's illegal attacks in accordance with international humanitarian law."

Defence Secretary Streeting urged continued US support for Ukraine during a speech on the 15th at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a think tank located in Washington, D.C.

He stated that US support has had a tangible impact on Ukraine's war effort, adding, "If that support were to disappear, we and Ukraine would deeply feel that void."

He also emphasized that supporting Ukraine aligns with America's long-term interests and offers massive opportunities for the US in future defense industrial cooperation.

"The Ukrainian people are fighting for principles that run through the finest traditions of American political thought," Streeting said, noting that the principle is "that a free people have the right to determine their own destiny."

Streeting subsequently met with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to discuss pending issues.

Following his meeting with Secretary Hegseth, he told US Fox News in an interview, "We want President Trump to be engaged in the issue of Ukraine.

He has been so far.

Diplomatic efforts to end the war are just as important as ensuring Ukraine has the weapons it needs to defeat Russian aggression."
 
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)