Tag: Ukraine

Britain is 100% behind you: Andy Burnham visits Kyiv on Ukrainian Independence Day

Andy Burnham will arrive in Ukraine today for his first overseas visit as Prime Minister

  • Prime Minister in Kyiv for first international visit to reiterate UK’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine
  • Comes as the Prime Minister announces the UK has agreed that defence firm MBDA can release classified information on UK components for the long-range missile, SCALP, to establish local assembly lines in Ukraine
  • Burnham expected to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and chair his first meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, alongside other world leaders in the city to mark Independence Day

Andy Burnham will arrive in Ukraine today (Monday 24 August) for his first overseas visit as Prime Minister.

Just weeks after welcoming President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the UK in July as his first international guest, the Prime Minister has travelled to Kyiv to reiterate the UK’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people.

Visiting on Independence Day, the Prime Minister will tell the Ukrainian people that the UK is four-square behind Ukraine’s independence, and Russia’s threats only strengthen the UK’s resolve.

To underline the strength of this commitment, the Prime Minister is set to announce that the Government has agreed that defence firm MBDA can release classified information on UK components for the long-range missile, SCALP, as Ukraine and France look to establish local assembly lines in Ukraine.

The missile is the French-produced version of the UK’s Storm Shadow, with both using shared French and British technology.

The move follows the UK being the first to gift long-range strike weapons for defensive purposes to Ukraine in 2023 and will allow the French and Ukrainians to move forward with the Ukrainian assembly of the missile.

It also complements the major UK effort to rapidly develop low-cost advanced long-range strike weapons for Ukraine through Project Brakestop.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “On Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes.

“I am proud of the contribution our country has made to Ukraine and I want the Ukrainian people to hear it directly from me that our support will not waver. After all, Ukraine’s security is our security.

“The friendship between our two countries will long outlast Russia’s illegal war. In both the fight and in the rebuilding to come, we will stand with Ukraine and deliver opportunities for people across both our countries.

“Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve. We will not back down until there is a just and lasting peace.”

While in Kyiv, the Prime Minister will take part in Independence Day events and co-chair his first meeting of the Coalition of the Willing to discuss how the UK can continue to support Ukraine as it courageously defends itself against Russia’s illegal invasion. 

He will tell international partners that the UK’s leadership on Ukraine will remain steadfast under his Government.

While in Kyiv, the Prime Minister is expected to be presented with an award on behalf of the British people, in recognition of the United Kingdom’s support.

The UK has been one of Ukraine’s foremost partners since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, providing a range of military, economic, and diplomatic support, underpinned by the UK and Ukraine’s 100 Year Partnership.

This includes leading efforts to secure Ukraine’s long-term security alongside France as co-chairs of the Coalition of the Willing, and committing £25 billion in funding, including £16 billion in military assistance and £5.6 billion in non-military support.

Easter Fayre for Ukraine

SATURDAY 14th MARCH 11am – 2pm

EDINBURGH UKRAINIAN CLUB, ROYAL TERRACE

Come along for a wonderful community event filled with unique stalls, home baking, handmade gifts, and fun activities for everyone!

Enjoy tea, coffee or juice included with your entry, and children under 12 go free.

✨ Stalls include:

• Ukrainian gifts and crafts

• Home baking

• Handmade laser bags

• Bottle stall

• Lucky dip

• Gnome for home stall

📍 Edinburgh Ukrainian Club, 14 Royal Terrace, EH7 5AB

📅 Saturday, March 14

⏰ 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

🎟 £2 entry (includes tea/coffee/juice)

Most importantly, this event is held to support Ukraine during this difficult time. Every visit, every purchase, and every show of support helps our community stand strong and united with Ukraine.

Please come, bring your friends and family, and help us make a difference 💙💛

Edinburgh stands in solidarity with Ukraine four years on

The Lord Provost Robert Aldridge reflects on the Capital’s response over the last four years:

As we mark this solemn fourth anniversary of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we also draw hope and comfort in Edinburgh’s long history as a proud, welcoming and diverse city.

Our biggest strength lies in those who live here – people from all walks of life, cultures, and backgrounds.

From our long-standing links with the Norwegians and Poles during and after the Second World War to the thousands of Ukrainians, Afghans, Syrians and other refugees and displaced families who now call Edinburgh home, we’re proud to be a city of sanctuary – welcoming all those who come here in search of a better life.

As Kyiv’s twin city, I’m incredibly proud of the role that Edinburgh’s communities have played in helping those fleeing the horrors of Russia’s illegal war, with around 3,000 Ukrainians now residing in the Capital.

Since the first days of the invasion, we’ve been working hard across our services to help assimilate Ukrainians into their new lives here. The wider collective response encompassing the public, private and third sectors represents the very best qualities of our city and our citizens.

Residents, volunteers, and colleagues have worked steadfastly to help our new arrivals, opening their hearts and in many cases their homes to Ukrainians in their hour of need.

In the first year of the conflict we worked alongside the Scottish Government and other partners to house over 1,500 Ukrainians aboard the MS Victoria at the Port of Leith.

Edinburgh continues to be the gateway for the vast majority of Ukrainian arrivals into Scotland. Since February 2022, we have had almost 12,000 Ukrainians pass through our Welcome Hub, first at Gogarburn House and now at Flassches Yard. 

On Tuesday morning, alongside representatives from the Scottish and UK Governments, the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain and other partners, I laid a wreath at the Stone of Remembrance.

My thoughts remain with those continuing to fight for freedom, those who have fallen or been injured in defence of Ukraine, and for everyone who has had to abandon their homes and lives.

Whilst this terrible war has endured for longer than any of us could have imagined, my hope remains that we will soon see peace in Ukraine.

To Edinburgh’s Ukrainian population my message is simple. This is your home. You are a valued part of our city and have our full support for as long as you need it.

Charity Concert: Daughters of Donbas – Songs of Stolen Children

THURSDAY 29th JANUARY at 8pm

ST MARY’S EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL, PALMERSTON PLACE

On Thursday 29th January, St Mary’s Cathedral is hosting a very special concert: Daughters of Donbas — Songs of Stolen Children.

This is a fundraising concert for SaveUkraine, which helps rescue children kidnapped from the Donbas region of Ukraine.

With famous Ukrainian singer Marichka, accompanied by string quartet and bandura.

Tickets are £20/10, via our website.

http://www.cathedral.net/event…/daughters-of-donbas

‘Coalition of the Willing’ set to meet as leaders focus on crippling Russia’s ability to wage war

European leaders set to arrive in London today for a meeting of the ‘Coalition of Willing’ as Ukraine’s allies ramp up pressure on Russia heading into winter

  • Global leaders set to convene this afternoon both in person in London, and virtually, to discuss how they can pile pressure on Putin
  • Prime Minister will urge leaders to act to take Russian oil and gas off the global market, finish the job on Russian sovereign assets to unlock billions of pounds to fund Ukraine’s defences, and step up the gifting of long-range capabilities
  • Meeting comes as the Prime Minister announces acceleration of missile delivery programme to deliver 140 lightweight-multirole missiles to Ukraine this winter, supporting UK jobs

PILING PRESSURE ON PUTIN?

European leaders are set to arrive in London today for a critical meeting of the ‘Coalition of Willing’ as Ukraine’s allies ramp up pressure on Russia heading into winter.

Leaders will convene this afternoon, both in person and virtually, to discuss how they can pile pressure on Putin as he continues to kill innocent civilians with indiscriminate attacks across Ukraine, including hitting a nursery filled with toddlers and children this week.

The London hosted meeting comes after Putin proved yet again that he is not serious about ending his illegal war, failing to engage with President Trump’s most recent proposals for meaningful peace talks.

Leaders are expected to use the meeting to focus the world’s attention on how they can further strengthen Ukraine’s hand and cripple Russia’s ability to continue to wage war.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The only person involved in this conflict who does not want to stop the war is President Putin, and his depraved strikes on young children in a nursery this week make that crystal clear.

“Time and again we offer Putin the chance to end his needless invasion, to stop the killing and recall his troops, but he repeatedly rejects those proposals and any chance of peace.

“From the battlefield to the global markets, as Putin continues to commit atrocities in Ukraine we must ratchet up the pressure on Russia and build on President Trump’s decisive action.

“After all, Ukraine’s security matters to us all, and what happens on the frontline of Donetsk today is shaping our collective future for years to come.”

In the past fortnight, the international community has stepped up its decisive action to force President Putin back to the negotiating table and secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.

That has included the US’ decisive action this week to place a chokehold round Putin’s finance flows and sanction two of the largest Russian oil companies, following the UK action taken last week.

The European Union has also adopted its 19th sanctions package against Russia, further targeting the Russian oil trade and cracking down on financial loopholes, and Ukraine’s allies have accelerated work to use the full value of immobilised Russian Sovereign Assets to support Ukraine – a move that would be unprecedented and finance Ukraine’s war efforts for years to come.

The government has been clear that the UK’s national security – the foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change – starts in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister Dick Schoof, as well as the NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, are all expected to attend the meeting in person at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office today.

They will be greeted by children from St Mary’s Ukrainian School, which has welcomed hundreds of displaced Ukrainian children since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

A further 20 leaders are expected to dial into the call.

During the call, the Prime Minister is expected to call on leaders to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position going into the winter. He will urge leaders to act to take Russian oil and gas off the global market, finish the job on Russian sovereign assets to unlock billions of pounds to fund Ukraine’s defences, and step up the gifting of long-range capabilities to ensure Ukraine can build on its success of this week.

Leaders will also discuss how more can be done to protect energy infrastructure, as Russia continues to systematically destroy critical national infrastructure, plunging millions of innocent Ukrainians into the cold and dark.

The Prime Minister will announce that a UK missile building programme has been accelerated to deliver more than 100 extra air defence missiles ahead of schedule to bolster Ukraine’s defences through the depths of winter.

The package forms part of the £1.6bn deal between UK industry and Ukraine in March to provide more than 5,000 lightweight-multirole missiles (LMM) to support Ukraine’s defence, creating 200 jobs and supporting 700 existing jobs at Thales in Belfast.

The contract tripled the LMM production capacity and as work has progressed quicker than expected the delivery of an extra 140 LMMs will be accelerated to provide to Ukraine in the winter months.

Concert: The Voices That Unite

PORTOBELLO TOWN HALL

9th NOVEMBER at 3pm

🎶 We invite everyone to the concert “the voices that unite”!

You will enjoy a performance of soloists, choir, vocal group, dance groups and special guests!

Admission is free – free tickets by QR code or link.

🗓 November 9, 2025

🕒 о 15:00

📍 Portobello Town Hall, EH15 1AF

https://buytickets.at/associationofukrainiansingr…/1916016

New funding for Ukraine as Foreign Secretary visits Kyiv making clear Ukraine’s security is the UK’s security

  • UK aid funding boost to support Ukraine’s emergency energy needs and help vulnerable communities targeted by Putin’s aggression
  • Foreign Secretary to meet President Zelenskyy, Ukrainian Ministers to boost UK and Ukraine relationship, because Ukraine’s security is crucial to the UK’s security 
  • She will show unwavering support and hear from the Ukrainian people living through Russia’s aggression

Energy infrastructure and targeted communities in Ukraine will get new support to build resilience and support thanks to vital UK aid, as Yvette Cooper visits Ukraine in her first trip as Foreign Secretary.

In a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people who are on the frontline in defending their country and standing up against Russian aggression in Europe, the Foreign Secretary is clear that Ukraine is a priority for the UK.

After a summer of Russian delay tactics at peace talks, weeks of increased attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure, and ahead of a difficult winter, her visit will reaffirm that this support is ironclad.

On Tuesday, Russia’s unprecedented violation of a NATO airspace in Poland showed a complete disregard for sovereignty and peace, following Russia’s delay tactics at peace talks throughout the summer. The Foreign Secretary will underscore the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine during her visit and make clear that the defence of Ukraine against Russian aggression is vital to the security of the UK and the whole of Europe.

The Foreign Secretary is due to visit the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv, which was significantly damaged in recent Russia strikes. She will also visit one of the residential buildings destroyed by Russia’s brutal attacks on Ukraine, meeting families and children to hear first-hand their traumatising experiences of living through Putin’s illegal invasion.

The Foreign Secretary has also announced £142 million in UK aid, supporting Ukraine through winter and into next year.

£100 million will provide vital support for humanitarian assistance to help civilians in frontline communities, protect the most vulnerable and provide emergency support for those impacted by Russia’s continued attacks. This will include repairing critical water and heating systems, and helping to support livelihoods and jobs and strengthen Ukrainian resilience in the fourth winter of Russia’s illegal war.

£42 million will help carry out vital repairs to the electricity transmission network and put in place critical protection for gas and power infrastructure as winter starts to bite.

Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper said: “I have chosen to visit Ukraine in my first few days as Foreign Secretary because Ukraine’s security is crucial to the UK’s security.

“I am clear that the UK’s support is unwavering and stronger than ever as we know the long-term security and stability threat that Russian aggression poses not just to Ukraine, but to the whole of Europe and to all of us here in the UK. 

“Through our ongoing military support, lifesaving funding announced today, the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership and our ongoing leadership of the Coalition of the Willing, we will be by Ukraine’s side to achieve a just and lasting peace, and in friendship for years to come.

“Putin’s bombardment of Ukrainian civilians, his stalling and delaying in internationally-backed peace talks, and his blatant disregard for human life must end.”

Ukraine’s security is crucial to the UK’s national security, which is a central part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

As part of her visit, she will also meet with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Sybiha and Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko.

As part of her discussions with Foreign Minister Sybiha, she will also discuss shared priorities as part of the UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue, which will culminate in a meeting between the Prime Minister and the President.

Statement by co-chairs of the ‘Coalition of the Willing’: 13 August

President Macron, Prime Minister Starmer and Chancellor Merz today co-chaired a virtual meeting of a grouping of ‘Coalition of the Willing’ leaders yesterday

President Macron, Prime Minister Starmer and Chancellor Merz co-chaired a virtual meeting of a grouping of ‘Coalition of the Willing’ Leaders and with the participation of President Zelenskyy and Vice-President Vance, ahead of President Trump’s meeting with President Putin in Alaska.

Leaders welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace. They welcomed the open discussions with President Trump earlier that day.

They were clear that the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.

It was necessary to continue an approach that combined active diplomacy, support to Ukraine and pressure on Russia. A diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.

They also reiterated that:

First, meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or a lasting and significant cessation of hostilities.

Second, sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia’s war economy should be strengthened if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire in Alaska.

Third, international borders must not be changed by force.

Fourth, Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Coalition of the Willing is ready to play an active role, including through plans by those willing to deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia could not have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO. 

They confirmed they would continue to cooperate closely with President Trump and with the United States of America, and with President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Starmer to meet Trump in Scotland for talks today

  • The Prime Minister will travel to Scotland today to meet the President for talks on his golf course in Turnberry
  • The leaders are expected to discuss progress on implementing the UK-US trade deal, hopes for a ceasefire in the Middle East and applying pressure on Putin to end the war in Ukraine
  • The leaders will travel on together for a further private engagement in Aberdeen

Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet US President Donald Trump in Scotland today for wide-ranging talks.

The Prime Minister will travel to the President’s golf course in Turnberry, ahead of Trump’s landmark second State Visit to the UK in September.

Over the course of the visit, the leaders are expected to talk one-to-one about advancing implementation of the landmark Economic Prosperity Deal so that Brits and Americans can benefit from boosted trade links between their two countries.

The Prime Minister is also expected to welcome the President’s administration working with partners in Qatar and Egypt to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza.

He will discuss further with him what more can be done to secure the ceasefire urgently, bring an end to the unspeakable suffering and starvation in Gaza and free the hostages who have been held so cruelly for so long.

Securing peace in Ukraine will also be high on the agenda, with the Prime Minister and President set to talk about their shared desire to bring an end to the barbaric war. It is expected they will reflect on progress in their 50-day drive to arm Ukraine and force Putin to the negotiating table.

It’s quite possible that President Trump may change that agenda, of course.

After their meeting they will travel on together to a private engagement in Aberdeen.

The UK and the US have ‘one of the closest, most productive alliances the world has ever seen’, working together to cooperate on defence, intelligence, technology and trade.

The UK was the first country to agree a deal with the US that lowered tariffs on key sectors and has received one of the lowest reciprocal tariff rates in the world.

Businesses in the aerospace and autos sectors are already benefitting from the ‘strong relationship the UK has with the US’ and the deal agreed on 8 May.

The Government says it is ‘working at pace with the US to go further to deliver benefits to working people on both sides of the Atlantic and to give UK industry the security it needs, protect vital jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets through the Plan for Change’.

AUGB: Kind of Blue

An evening of good music and good company to raise funds for Ukraine.

As we approach 3.5 years of war against Ukraine we are holding an evening of good music to raise much-needed funds.

All for only £10. Please come along and bring your friends.

Register via the link below:

https://buytickets.at/associationofukrainiansingr…/1766067

We hope to see many of you there.