Burnham hits back at Kremlin claim UK is adding ‘fuel to the fire’ in Ukraine

Andy Burnham has hit back at Moscow’s claim that Britain has added fuel to the fire of the Ukraine war, asking: “Who started the fire?”

Britain’s decision to supply more long-range missiles and drones to Ukraine has drawn warnings of retaliation from the Kremlin. On Monday, Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said plans to provide Ukraine with blueprints for long-range Scalp missiles would add “fuel to the fire” and undermine any chance of peace. Asked about his comments on a visit to Kyiv, the Prime Minister told reporters: “Who started the fire? That’s the question, isn’t it?” Mr Burnham’s visit to Ukraine, his first foreign trip as Prime Minister, coincides with the 35th anniversary of the country’s independence from the Soviet Union. Ahead of the visit, he announced that the UK would provide Kyiv with blueprints for British components used in the French-produced Scalp missile as Paris looks at setting up assembly lines for the weapon in Ukraine.

Published: 24/08/2026 by Radio NewsHub