Prime Minister Andy Burnham is visiting Kyiv today to demonstrate support for Ukraine after Russia issued threats against Britain following raids using UK drones.
The Prime Minister will take part in celebrations marking Ukraine's 35th anniversary of independence and will accept an award on behalf of the British people recognising the UK's support.
The visit follows warnings from the Kremlin of "consequences" over UK drones being used by Ukraine to strike far into Russia. Moscow said that the deeper Britain became involved, "the higher price it will pay."
Reaffirming British support for Kyiv, Mr Burnham said: "On Ukraine's 35th anniversary of independence, its people should be in no doubt: The UK is behind you."
He added: "In the fight and the rebuilding to come, we stand with Ukraine. Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve. We will not back down till there is a lasting peace."
Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine located on the Dnieper River, declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The 35th anniversary milestone comes as the nation continues to face an ongoing conflict with Russia.
Diplomatic relations hit low point
Russia said relations with Britain are at "an unprecedentedly low level" after ordering its ambassador to London, Andrey Kelin, back to Moscow after seven years in post.
Mr Kelin accused the UK of choosing "a path of confrontation" with Russia. Moscow added that Britain seeks to escalate the crisis "while hypocritically professing a desire for peace."
The Kremlin has not yet put forward a replacement candidate, raising questions about whether Russia is seeking to downgrade its diplomatic relations with the UK.
The use of British drones crossed a diplomatic red line for the Kremlin, and Russian interests in the UK will now be the responsibility of its charge d'affaires, Vasily Tsyganov. Russia maintains its embassy in Kensington, an affluent district in West London that houses numerous foreign diplomatic missions.
Defense coalition and missile technology
On Monday, Mr Burnham will chair his first meeting of the so-called coalition of the willing, set up by the UK and France to support Ukraine under his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer. Mr Burnham previously welcomed President Volodymyr Zelensky to the UK during his first weeks in office.
The British Government has agreed to allow defence firm MBDA to release classified information on UK components for the long-range Scalp missile. MBDA is a European multinational defense contractor specializing in missile systems.
The Scalp missile is the French-produced version of the UK's Storm Shadow cruise missile. Both weapons use shared French and British technology, and Ukraine and France are looking to set up local assembly lines for Scalp missiles in Ukraine.
Highlighting bilateral relations, Mr Burnham said: "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."
He added: "Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve. We will not back down until there is a just and lasting peace."
