In the fifth year of its full-scale war with Russia, Ukraine is about to see its fifth UK prime minister.
There is some concern in Kyiv about the risk of political instability in Britain. Ukraine needs its allies to remain focused on the giant war in the heart of Europe; it needs the UK to keep up its military aid, its drone deliveries and its economic support for “as long as it takes”, as it promised.
But from PM No 1, Boris Johnson – so popular he had a cake named after him here – right through to No 4, Keir Starmer, British backing for Ukraine has been constant.
There’s no sense that would change under Burnham given his past comments.
More broadly, his foreign policy priorities aren’t clear. But from Ukraine’s perspective, it’s important for the new PM not to waver in recognising the threat that Russia presents to the West and to remain committed to helping Ukraine defend itself, and Europe, accordingly.
