"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," Prime Minister Andy Burnham said in a statement released during his trip to Kyiv, adding that "Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve. We will not back down until there is a just and lasting peace."
Prime Minister Andy Burnham approved sharing classified SCALP blueprints
During a visit to Kyiv, Prime Minister Andy Burnham approved plans to give Ukraine classified blueprints of British components used to produce a variant of the Storm Shadow long-range cruise missile called SCALP, the Prime Minister’s Office said. The announcement said the move signals the UK is “100 percent behind” Kyiv in its conflict with Moscow and comes as Ukraine and France prepare to establish local assembly lines for the munition.
MBDA authorised to release classified SCALP information; link to Project Brakestop
The UK agreed that missile-producer MBDA can release classified SCALP information, according to the Prime Minister’s Office statement released ahead of Burnham’s announcement. The government framed the blueprint sharing as complementary to Project Brakestop, an initiative described in the statement as designed to develop low-cost, long-range strike weapons for Ukraine.
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See what we buildSCALP/Storm Shadow: capability, origins, and production plans
The SCALP is the French variant of Britain’s Storm Shadow and "relies on technology from both countries," the statement said, noting Storm Shadow had first been supplied to Ukraine in 2023. MBDA company literature [PDF] describes SCALP as designed for deep-strike missions and capable of hitting targets beyond 250 km (155 miles); it can attack high-value fixed or stationary targets, including hardened bunkers. The UK and France in 2025 announced a plan to relaunch SCALP/Storm Shadow production while also partnering on a replacement munition—steps the Prime Minister’s Office said are running in parallel with the recent decision to share component blueprints.
Coalition of the Willing meeting with France and Germany: air defense and technology sharing
Burnham co-chaired a Coalition of the Willing meeting in Kyiv alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. According to a UK government statement, leaders at the meeting agreed to increase military support to Ukraine, make strengthening Ukraine’s air defense "a matter of urgent priority," and ramp up cooperation with Ukraine’s defense industry. The statement also said participants agreed to share key technologies, "including through the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition."
What this means for Ukraine, France, and Russia
- Ukraine: The decision to hand over classified component blueprints and the push to establish local assembly lines aim to expand Kyiv’s ability to produce long-range strike munitions domestically, potentially shortening supply chains and increasing operational autonomy.
- France: As the originator of the SCALP variant and as a partner in relaunching SCALP/Storm Shadow production since 2025, France stands to be a central partner in the planned local assembly and ongoing development of a replacement munition.
- Russia: The Russian Embassy in the UK criticized the reported use of British drones by Ukraine to strike inside Russian territory and warned on Telegram that "London’s actions will inevitably carry consequences." Diplomatic frictions are already in evidence; the Times reported Moscow withdrew its UK ambassador, Andrey Kelin, in July and has not submitted another candidate to the Foreign Office.
Breaches of diplomatic decorum and the flow of sensitive technical data are likely to harden positions on all sides. The UK framed the blueprint sharing as part of a broader push to deepen industrial cooperation with allies and to develop new strike capabilities via Project Brakestop, while Kyiv’s need for more robust air defenses remains acute—Reuters quoted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month saying allies had supplied one-third as many air defense missiles this year compared with 2025, amid a shortage of US-made Patriot interceptors.
The decision to authorize MBDA’s release of classified SCALP component information ties a technical, industrial step to a political declaration of support. Whether the move will accelerate Ukraine’s local assembly timelines or provoke further diplomatic responses from Moscow are the immediate next signals observers will watch.
